MATCH PREVIEW | WEALDSTONE V EASTLEIGH
- Wealdstone FC
- Sep 26
- 3 min read
Following a well-earned point against Tamworth in midweek, the Stones return to the Vale to face an Eastleigh side who have recently appointed a new manager.
The Basics
Date: Saturday, September 27
Venue: Grosvenor Vale, Ruislip, HA4 6JQ
Competition: The Enterprise National League
Kick Off Time: 3:00 pm
Broadcast Information: The game will be available to watch live via DAZN (non-UK residents only)
News From The Vale
Wealdstone announced the return of fan-favourite striker Olufela Olomola ahead of the game against Tamworth.
Upon rejoining the Stones, he spoke to club media, which you can find here, and he built his dream Wealdstone teammate, which is available to watch via the following link.
Thanks to club partners Modu, the Stones now have their own official app! Fans can use it to view the latest news and video content, read match reports, check fixtures and results and buy tickets.
Please also note that the kickoff time for our Enterprise National League fixture away at Solihull Moors on Saturday, 29th November, has been moved to 12:30pm, owing to DAZN TV coverage.
Our man in form - Nathan Tshikuna: The goalscorer on Wednesday night, Nathan Tshikuna, is Wealdstone’s man in form heading into Saturday’s clash.
The 26-year-old arrived at the Vale towards the end of preseason, but quickly established himself as a key player in Sam Cox’s side.
He has put in consistently good performances in attacking midfield over the last month, using his combination of strength and technique to bamboozle opposition defenders.
After his strike against his former club, Tshikuna has taken his goal tally for the season to three in just nine starts in all competitions.
Keep it up, Nath!
The Opposition
Recent form: WLDLW
League Position: 14th
Eastleigh are one of six clubs in the National League to have parted company with their manager thus far.
The Spitfires are entering their 11th consecutive season in the fifth tier, though they have not majorly threatened for promotion since the 2013/14 campaign.
Their last two seasons have been remarkably similar, finishing in 13th place with 59 points in both campaigns.
The manager - Scott Bartlett: As previously mentioned, Bartlett is extremely early in his tenure as the manager at the Silverlake Stadium, with his appointment only being officially announced in the hours before their game against Southend in midweek.
The 46-year-old built his reputation in management at Weston-super-Mare AFC. He had two spells with the Seagulls, winning 161 of his 313 games at the helm.
During his time at the club, Weston-super-Mare won the Southern League Premier Division South title as well as two Somerset Premier Cups.
His first game in charge of Eastleigh went fairly well as they beat Southend United by a margin of two goals to one.
Midfielder Dylan Kadji will be particularly familiar with Bartlett, having played under him last season.
The danger man - Aaron Blair: The Stones’ defence will go up against one of the top scorers in the league on Saturday in the form of Aaron Blair.
The 25-year-old has been consistently excellent in the National League South over the past three seasons.
The 2022/23 campaign saw him net 11 times in 36 league games for Braintree Town, before that total increased to 16 the following campaign as the Iron were promoted. Last season, he netted 22 times in 52 games in all competitions for Maidstone United.
He signed for Eastleigh in the summer and has brought good energy and mobility, as well as goals in abundance, to the Eastleigh attack. The frontman has scored five times in 10 league games thus far, including in each of his last two matches.
Buy Your Tickets Now!
Only four sides have picked up more league wins, and just four teams have scored more goals at home than the Stones thus far.
Make sure that you get down to the Vale on Saturday so that you do not miss the action!
Tickets are available to buy via the link below. Please note that tickets purchased online in advance are always cheaper than on the gate.
Match Programme
As always the award winning matchday programme will be available to purchase outside the Vale for just £3!
Saturday’s issue includes a feature on the great Stones loan signings and a big interview with Daniel Nkrumah.
Demand is always high so make sure to purchase yours early to avoid missing out.
