chriswoods51
- Oct 7, 2021
- 3 min read

PREVIEW | Eastleigh (H)

THE DETAILS

Wealdstone v Eastleigh

Vanarama National League

Grosvenor Vale

Saturday 9th October, 3:00pm kick-off

TICKETS Tickets for Saturday's National League fixture are £15 Adults, £10 Concessions, £8* 18-23 years old and £5 U18s. The 18-23 next generation offer is online only, we recommend that all supporters purchase their tickets online HERE to save the anticipated lengthy queues at the paid turnstile on the day.

As it is also the international break, we would like to remind season ticket holders of Premier League or EFL clubs that they qualify for a £10 Concession priced ticket, this is available both online and at the turnstile, just present your valid 2021/22 season ticket at the turnstile.

*online purchase only

THE CONTEXT

Wealdstone play their second of three consecutive home games as Hampshire side Eastleigh visit The Vale. Both sides sit in 16th and 17th place so far, with the Stones playing one more game and having one more than the visiting Spitfires. Eastleigh have produced an indifferent start to the season so far under Ben Strevens and were beaten 1-0 by struggling Southend United at Roots Hall in midweek, whilst the Stones played out a 0-0 draw at Grosvenor Vale with Solihull Moors in front of the BT Sport cameras.

TEAM NEWS

Rhys Browne and Jerome Okimo both remain a week away from a return to action, whilst Ira Jackson is in the final game of his three-match suspension. Alex Dyer returned in the midfield in midweek following a suspension and Danny Parish is also close to a return. Connor Stevens made his comeback from a long-term injury last week away to Torquay United and will be hoping to add more minutes to his recovery.

WHAT WAS SAID?

Stuart Maynard: "There a good team and Strevs has done a good job there, they were so close to getting into the play-offs last season. I think the amount of games they had cancelled due to COVID and their pitch and stuff I think kind of hampered them, leaving them with too many games to catch up on, they're just starting to get going now and got a good point away at Boreham Wood last weekend and it's going to be another difficult test."

FORM GUIDE

Stones:

Solihull Moors (H) 0-0 D

Torquay United (A) 5-0 L

King's Lynn Town (A) 0-1 W (Cooper)

Aldershot Town (H) 2-2 D (Umerah, Jackson)

Notts County (A) 3-2 L (Umerah 2)

Eastleigh:

Southend United (A) 1-0 L

Boreham Wood (H) 1-1 D (Pritchard) Woking (H) 3-2 W (Whitehall, Whelan 2)

Grimsby Town (A) 2-0 L Dover Athletic (H) 4-1 W (Hill, Pritchard, House, Hare)

WHO TO WATCH FOR?

Harry Pritchard: Pritchard was a summer signing after previously playing for Bradford City. He will be well-known to Stones fans as a stalwart in Maidenhead United's midfield as they romped home to win the National League South back in 2016/17, his performances in the National League the season after with the Magpies earned him a move to the EFL where he spent one season at Blackpool and two with Bradford City before returning to non-league with the Spitfires this summer. Aged 29 and in the prime of his career, he will only benefit from his EFL experience.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Played - 5

Won - 2

Drawn - 1

Lost - 2

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

Feb 2021 - Stones 0-0 Eastleigh

Dec 2020 - Stones 4-3 Eastleigh (Wakefield, Cawley, Lewis, Mendy)

Nov 2020 - Eastleigh 2-0 Stones

Jan 2005 - Stones 1-4 Eastleigh (Jolly)

Aug 2004 - Eastleigh 1-2 Stones (Alexander, Jolly)