ANDY Forbes warmed up for tonight's Isthmian League Centenary Match against an FA XI at Dulwich by scoring twice for play-off chasers Eastleigh in Saturday's 3-0 win at Kingstonian.
Amazingly the former Winchester City hot-shot has now netted 22 goals in as many starts for his new club and director of football Mark Dennis insisted: "He's the best striker in this league by a mile - and, probably, the Conference South too. He's such a clever player."
Shaun Dyke, the club's latest signing from Winchester, went on as a second-half sub for the injured Tyronne Bowers and set up Forbes for his second and Eastleigh's third.
"Dykey was a revelation," purred Dennis. "The understanding between him and Forbesy is telepathic.
"Alex Haddow also came on and did well. Like I've said to the boys, it's no longer a team thing with us, it's all about a squad of 16 or 17 players."
Rock-bottom Kingstonian made the better start, hitting the woodwork and forcing two excellent saves from keeper Lee Webber, who was drafted in when Wayne Shaw injured his knee in the warm-up.
But fourth-placed Eastleigh got stronger as the half progressed and took a 40th-minute lead when Forbes prodded home Bowers' cross. Three minutes later Forbes turned provided for Craig McAllister to round keeper Andy Iga and score.
"We didn't deserve to be two up at half-time, but in the second half it was men against boys and we should have had seven or eight," said Dennis.
"The good thing is that nearly all the other results went for us. Billericay were the only team around us to have won."
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