FORGOTTEN man Mark Draper turned in a classy display as Saints Reserves beat ambitious Eastleigh 4-3 last night, writes Jeremy Wilson.

The 31-year-old midfielder hasn't travelled with the first team squad in their pre-season tour of Sweden this week, but produced precision passes to set-up two goals in a see-saw friendly at Stoneham Lane.

Reserve team coach Steve Wigley was quick to compliment the performances of senior players Draper and two-goal Tahar El Khalej.

He said: "We had a lot of young lads playing tonight so you look to the experienced guys to play well and they delivered."

Eastleigh, coached by ex-Saint David Hughes, certainly played their part and led their professional opponents for much of the game.

Exciting times certainly appear to lie ahead for the Jewson Wessex League club, who lined up with several new acquisitions, including goalkeeper Colin Matthews a league record signing of £10,000 from Newport IoW.

Among the spectators was Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier, who is expected to make a few appearances for Eastleigh this season. And Le Tissier must have been impressed by what he saw early on as the home side surged into a two-goal lead - despite a bizarre delay when spectator John Sorrell took over as assistant referee from Brian Roberts, who pulled a hamstring from the touchline!

Eastleigh's first came after trickery from Warren Kenna set-up Dave Asker for an easy finish and Asker doubled the lead when his deflected shot gave Alan Blayney no chance.

Saints struck back on the stroke of half-time through El Khalej, who brilliantly headed home Draper's freekick and good skills from substitute Richard Jones set up the lively Brian Howard to level on 55 minutes.

It looked like Saints might run away with the game when Draper produced a delicious 40-yard through-ball for Andrei Pereplyotkin to make it 3-2. But Eastleigh kept fighting and Micky Sherry equalised before Moroccan international El Khalej bundled in an 85th-minute winner.

Rigley was full of praise for Easteigh, saying: "It was a very good workout for us and was definitely a harder game than our recent 2-0 wins against Norwich Reserves and Dorchester. "Some of our defending wasn't the best, but they played well and I hope they can get promoted next season. It is good for Southampton to have strong non-league sides and I hope we keep good links and play them again."

Eastleigh: Matthews, Kenna, Steer, Barker, Bright, Woods, Thorpe, Reacord, Matthews, Kenna, Asker. Subs: Cage for Matthews, Salter for Reacord, Johnson for Kenna, Sherry.

Southampton: Blayney, Baird, Poate, El Khalej, Gray, Byles, Davies, Draper, Howard, Pereplyotkin, Mills. Subs: Jones for Mills, Robertson for Gray, Saunders for Byles.