Hampshire Sport
Baird backs Eastleigh's winning formula
7:20am Tuesday 21st February 2012
IAN Baird is likely to stick with a winning formula as Eastleigh bid to edge closer to the Blue Square Bet South play-off places at Salisbury City tonight.
It means left-back Michael Green could again find himself on the subs’ bench after sitting out Saturday’s 4-0 victory at Hampton & Richmond which pushed the Spitfires up to eighth.
Green has been an ever-present for Eastleigh since rejoining the club, initially on loan, from npower League Two side Port Vale in October, making 19 starts in all competitions and scoring one goal.
But manager Baird felt the 22-year-old former Christchurch and AFC Totton defender needed to be taken “out of the firing line” at Hampton and chose to play experienced utility man Andy Forbes at left-back instead.
Explaining his decision, Baird said: “Defensively Greener has done well, but the dynamic of the team has changed and we need to get our full-backs on the ball more.
“We think a hell of a lot of Greener, but he’d lost a bit of confidence and needed to come out of the firing line.
“Hopefully he’ll come back bigger and stronger.”
Full story in today's Daily Echo