EASTLEIGH 1 TORQUAY UNITED 2

EASTLEIGH’S previously rock-solid home record took another jolt today as they lost their third game at the Silverlake Stadium since the turn of the year.

The Spitfires led FA Trophy semi-finalists Torquay United through new signing Deon Burton only for two defensive slips to hand the Devonshire visitors their first win in eight Vanarama Conference games.

Eastleigh, though, are still firmly in the play-off race, remaining static in sixth spot. 

As promised Richard Hill shuffled his Eastleigh pack, bringing in Dean Beckwith, Brian Howard and Craig Stanley and handing a first start to former Jamaican International striker Deon Burton.

Torquay, badly needing a win in the league, threatened first with a seventh-minute Ryan Bowman shot on the turn, which wasn’t too far wide of Ross Flitney’s left-hand post.

Good work by Michael Green followed down Eastleigh’s left but United defender Ollivier Gueguen was alert to the danger, nicking the ball clear before Burton could pounce.

Although Eastleigh were enjoying more of the possession at that stage, Torquay created another decent chance on 15 minutes when Spitfires defender Joe Partington – sporting a bandaged head after having five stitches in an eyebrow – was too easily beaten by Bowman down Eastleigh’s right. Flitney repelled the striker’s shot and it needed a timely block by Beckwith to deal with Toby Ajala’s follow-up.

But after a promising start to the game, the visitors were floored by a sucker punch as Eastleigh took the lead in the 17th minute.

The Spitfires’ breakthrough was far too easy from a Torquay perspective with Partington given time and space to get his head to Jai Reason’s deep free-kick beyond the back post. The visitors seemed slow to react as the ball looped towards the far upright where BURTON was on hand to bury his first goal in Spitfires colours.

With confidence flowing through the Eastleigh ranks, Howard tested Martin Rice with a curling shot which the keeper saved at the foot of the right-hand post.

That was reasonably comfortable for the United stopper, but that was far from the case in the 23rd minute when, following a half-cleared Eastleigh corner, he somehow managed to prevent Craig Stanley’s booming header off the crossbar from edging over the line.

Torquay lost midfielder Jordan Chappell to injury just before the half-hour, bringing on Courtney Cameron.

Within seconds of his arrival the Spitfires were awarded another free-kick and, once again, there were panic stations in the visiting defence after Partington had again got his head to Reason’s delivery.

Rice pulled off another good save on 40-minutes, diverting Harry Pell’s goal-bound strike away after great hold-up play by Howard.

Despite the Spitfires growing dominance, Torquay were by no means out of it and it took a great tackle by Green to get the ball behind for a corner as dangerman Ajala threatened to do damage from the right by-line.

Sub Cameron then fired wide from 25-yards before, with the interval beckoning, Ajala sent Bowman away through the right channel, Flitney came out to narrow the angle and Bowman’s shot deflected off Partington onto the outside of the post and behind for a corner.

As Cameron’s flag kick came across Courtney Richards headed the ball goalwards and GUEGUEN, back to goal, chested it down before volleying into the roof of the net to make it 1-1 at half time.

Hill added width for the second-half bringing on Dan Walker in place of Reason.

But it was Torquay who threatened to make the early breakthrough when Ajala beat Green on the right and sent a low ball into the six-yard box. Flitney got a hand to it and it needed quick thinking by Beckwith to prevent Louis Briscoe knocking it in.

As an amazingly open game switched down the other end, Green crossed and with Howard and Burton both well positioned, they exchanged passes, seemingly reluctant to shoot, before Burton blazed the ball over.

That was to be the former Pompey striker’s last significant contribution before he made way for James Constable just after the hour.

Eastleigh were gradually regaining a measure of control, but the game could have gone either way.

Torquay had a hint of a chance on 72 minutes when Briscoe set-up skipper Luke Young whose attempted chip cleared both Flitney and the bar.

Briscoe, a tank of a striker, felt hard done by from United’s next attack as he bulldozed past Partington on the right only for the referee to pull it back for a foul.

But Torquay were smiling again on 76 minutes as they forged ahead 2-1.

The pacy Ajala was again in the thick of things, picking out Cameron whose curling shot rebounded off the woodwork and fell for BOWMAN to slot home.

Ajala, who was giving left-back Green nightmares, then delivered dangerously into the box again but Beckwith got his side out of jail once more, getting to the ball just ahead of Briscoe who stumbled over the defender’s out-stretched leg.

Eastleigh dug deep into their reserves of character and threatened for the first time in a while on 84 minutes when Walker crossed deep from the right and fellow sub Jack Midson headed back across goal. The ball came down to James Constable, but it appeared to take a slight ricochet as he went to shoot and the chance was gone.

Walker then popped up on the left and sent in another cross which Midson headed behind and then, as the Spitfires piled on the pressure they had a penalty appeal turned down for a shove on Midson.

Pell had the Spitfires’ last chance of note, thumping a rising shot over after Constable had laid the ball into his path.