It just doesn't get better than this

The week running up to intentional games is usually a very quiet week. Speculation over the starting eleven of the national team and whether Micheal Owen should be recalled or whether we should play 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1. But in truth there is plenty more going on that the media fail to let us know about.

Last night there was Johnston's Paint Trophy, Blue Square Premier and Setanta Shield action, with the amount of matches going on and spread across the country they were being played, you should be shot if you weren't at a match last night. That's if your not a naive football fan who thinks you won't watch anyone who isn't Liverpool or Manchester United. If your claim of the 'love' of football is true then you would go see any game whether your team is playing or not.

Last night I was at the Setanta Shield 2nd Round match between Eastleigh and Havent and Waterlooville. These two sides have a similar rivalry in Hampshire that Southampton and Portsmouth have. Both reside in the Blue Square Premier South and are separated by 5 points after 11 league games this season. Both sides are very evenly matched and in cup football as you know anything can happen.

On a cold Tuesday evening the game got off to the sort of start that warmed the fans to the game and the conditions. After just six minutes Eastleigh captain Andy Harris was sent off for an awful two-footed tackle on Brett Poate. The Spitfires would have to play for 84 minutes with 10-men which in the end would prove decisive.

The sending off, very much like a goal would have, made the game quiet a spectacle. Eastleigh were in fact the better side who instead of going for the traditional long ball tactics usually seen at this level, passed the ball around like an established league side.

Havent were able to let their man advantage count as a corner found its way all the way through to Jay Gasson whose side footed volley found its way through a crowd of players to put the away side ahead.

Eastleigh however weren't taken aback by the goal and came out just a strong a they did after they were reduced to ten men and came up with a goal of the game two minutes later.

James Baker started the move holding ball up and spreading the play to Matt Groves an then got on the end of a Trevor Challis cross to head home the equalizer.

The goal was in keeping with a pretty even game in which you couldn't tell the home side was a man down.

It took just two minutes after after half time for Eastleigh to take the lead in the game with a bizarre goal. Matt Bodkin, the best player on the pitch certainly deserved a goal at the end of the night but scoring direct from a corner wouldn't have been how he imagined it happening. Confusion between Kevin Scriven and his defense meant Bodkin's corner drifted straight into net.

The goal looked to be decisive as Havent even with eleven men looked tied and short of ideas. Eastleigh however did nothing to kill the game off as they sat off Havent and bought off the impressive Groves and Bodkin and they attempted to close the game out.

With ten men this is risky business and their lack of ambition gave Havent a second wind and they piled pressure on the Eastleigh goal. On two occasions Havent should have leveled it up. some frantic defending, denied both Jamie Slabber and Danny Webb as Eastleigh breathed once again.

With six minutes added on after an injury to the referee and a number of time wasting ploys by the home team, gave Havent a second chance, and they weren't going to let this one slip away.

A harsh free kick given down by the byline on the right-back side was whipped in and a mammoth goal-mouth scramble began. The ball was cleared off the line three times as Havent players qued up to make it 2-2. Eventually the ball was forced over the line and the goal was credited to Gary Holloway althougth it could have been a number of players who got the final touch.

With the goal being scored in the 92nd minutes a few more minutes remaining and there was still time for a thrilling climax.

Havent sniffing a second goal in stoppage time pushed forward and a deep cross towards Webb saw him be bundled to the ground by three desperate Eastleigh defenders and penalty was given for the blatant foul.

Jamie Collins kept his nerve in the final minute to secure the win as he planted the ball into the bottom right hand corner to send the traveling fans into ecstasy.

Thee was barely anytime for Eastleigh to mount an attack as they had been overwhelmed by their local rivals. Havent rejoiced at the sound of the final whistle as they overcame Eastleigh in a thriller at the Silverlake Stadium.

This evening showed a number of things. Firstly any excuse to watch some football between two teams you may have never heard of is something you should never turn down, you never know if something like that might happen. And secondly at £6 a ticket you just can't go wrong. Last night was football as it should be, and forever let it continue.