JAMES Constable’s third goal in as many games rescued a point for Eastleigh, from a pulsating encounter with Lincoln City at the Silverlake Stadium this afternoon in Vanarama National League.

The Spitfires’ attacker latched onto Andy Drury’s pass into the box, before manipulating the ball onto his left-foot and firing low inside Lincoln ‘keeper Paul Farman’s left upright, writes Paul McNamara.

Constable’s 77th minute strike levelled Jack Muldoon’s first-half opener for the away side, while Eastleigh finished the match with 10 men following substitute Michael Green’s injury time dismissal for hauling down Jon Nolan, when the midfielder was through on goal.

Eastleigh boss Richard Hill was full of praise for his red-hot front-man, and said: "James Constable will get chances, and score goals from nothing.

"That’s three goals in three games. Let’s hope it continues."

When the deadlock was broken in this contest, it was the result of some incessant Imps’ pressure. The Spitfires never regrouped after Matt Sparrow’s low goal-bound shot rebounded back out off the wide-man’s team-mate, Liam Hearn.

Lincoln were in no mood to let their hosts’ off the hook, right-back Lee Beevers quickly sending a cross to the far-post that was directed back across goal by Matt Rhead.

With Eastleigh claiming an infringement by the thick-set attacker, Jack Muldoon stole in to nod home from point-blank range.

The opening period was past its mid-way point when the home team first gave the Imps’ defence something to think about. Yemi Odubade sprung onto Jai Reason’s precise through ball, the Spitfires’ forward then skipping by away stopper Farman and sending in a ball from the left that flew agonisingly across the face of goal, and a yard in front of the advancing Constable.

Minutes later, Eastleigh had their number one Michael Poke to thank for keeping the deficit at one. Left-back Chris Bush, enjoying the run of his side of the pitch, sent in a glorious cross that was met firmly by Hearn, yards from goal. The former Grimsby man could only watch bewildered, however, as Poke somehow got his legs in the way of the striker’s headed effort.

There were more encouraging signs for Hill’s men as the interval loomed; Josh Payne striking over from distance, before Odubade muscled Muldoon off the ball on the left wing, and tricked his way past Beevers only to curl fractionally beyond the far-post.

The Spitfires were rapidly out of the traps after the break. Payne’s snap-shot stung the palms of Farman, while, minutes later, Constable couldn’t capitalise on Luke Waterfall’s slip, the former Oxford hitman delivering his cross behind an onrushing Odubade.

The livewire Odubade was swiftly back in the action, gathering a Reason pass into the area, but when the Eastleigh man went to ground under Bush’s challenge referee Brett Huxtable waved away the hosts’ vehement cries for a spot-kick.

Lincoln weren’t content to sit on their lead and Poke, winning plenty of admirers early in his Spitfires’ career, was called on to hurtle from his box ten minutes into the second-half to prevent Hearn from getting on the end of Muldoon’s through ball.

The former Southampton custodian had to be on his mettle again to divert a Waterfall header from Bush’s inswinging 68th minute free-kick past his right-hand post. There was little Poke could do but cross his fingers, though, when substitute Alan Power’s subsequent corner was sent crashing against the bar by another Waterfall header.

Prior to the home keeper’s heroics, Drury had pulled the best from Farman with a rasping 18 yard volley that needed the keeper to parry clear.

With 20 minutes to play, Hill summoned Ross Lafayette and Lee Cook from the bench as the Spitfires’ pursuit of an equaliser grew more frantic. The newly introduced pair nearly made an instant impact, Lafayette spinning on Cook’s pass and flashing over from 20 yards.

Eastleigh didn’t have to wait long for Constable’s decisive intervention, but once the scores were level there was no let-up to the pace of a compelling contest.

Rhead’s weak effort from six yards allowed Poke to get down and save before, at the other end, Constable regained his composure after initially mis-kicking to stab at goal, beating Farman but being denied by the covering Bush’s legs.

As the minutes ticked away, Reason and Lafayette had close-range strikes blocked by Beevers and Craig Stanley, respectively, and Bush struck his free-kick into the wall after Green’s red card foul on Nolan.

Speaking after the honours had been shared, Hill cut a satisfied figure.

"There were two good teams there," he said. "Nobody is going to lie down and let the other team win.

"When you have to be at the right end of the table, you have to try and win matches. Give Lincoln their due, they tried to win today.

"It was two good teams and a good game of football.

"Credit is due to the players, today, for making it a very, very good game of football.

"Any neutral here today, would have said it was a very good advert for the National League."

Eastleigh’s boss also declared himself happy with a return of seven points from his team’s opening three games.

"We’ve had a tough start, despite what some people believe," he said.  

"Southport is a very difficult place to go, it was a difficult game the other night (against Boreham Wood) and then Lincoln will be there or thereabouts come the end of the season."