EASTLEIGH'S spectacular run of away form met a grizzly end at Sincil Bank as Lincoln City ran in three first-half goals to seal a comprehensive Vanarama National League victory.

James Caton, signed on loan from Shrewsbury last week, scored the pick of the bunch with a delicious 40th-minute left-footed strike, writes Paul McNamara.

By then, Matt Rhead had capitalised on some lacklustre Spitfires’ defending to chip the Imps into a 22nd-minute lead, while Jack Muldoon completed the scoring seconds before the break.

The 3-0 reverse was the first away defeat in nine for Chris Todd’s Eastleigh side, who are winless anywhere since beating Kidderminster on December 19 and have dropped a place to fifth in the table.

Muldoon was first to threaten for the home side. The forward flung himself head-first at Terry Hawkridge’s cross from the right, but was inches from making contact.

Eastleigh were struggling to deal with anything played over the top and it was via this route that Lincoln forged ahead.

Muldoon hared off in pursuit of Bradley Wood’s long ball, with Michael Poke racing from his goal to stop the Imps striker in his tracks.

As the ball broke free, however, Rhead was first to react, the former Mansfield striker swivelling to lift a cute 20-yard finish over the retreating Poke.

One rare Spitfires’ foray saw the advancing Luke Coulson slip the ball left for James Constable, whose low shot was blocked by a sprawling Jamie McCombe.

A ten man melee quickly followed, after Alan Power had recklessly upended Jai Reason. Both men were cautioned before Josh Payne ballooned the resulting 25-yard free-kick high of goal.

Muldoon then had a stabbed close-range shot deflected wide - but Eastleigh’s reprieve was short-lived.

Greg Tempest sent in the latest in his string of vicious inswinging right-wing corners. Jamie Turley headed away at the front-post, but only as far as Caton, out on the left.

With the home crowd demanding he shoot, the winger obliged, sending a pearler of a strike into the top right corner of goal.

Injury was quickly added to insult for the Spitfires, with Andy Drury limping off to be replaced by Jack Midson – and the away team’s first-half misery didn’t end there.

In the last act of the half Chris Bush delivered a deep cross from the left that was kept alive by Rhead at the back-post. As the ball ran back across goal, Muldoon was on hand to turn home.

The Spitfires, somewhat forlornly, sought a route back into the game after the interval. Midson had a shot deflected narrowly wide, while Will Evans headed a Coulson corner straight into the gloves of Paul Farman.

Those glimmers of hope for the away team sandwiched a Muldoon free-kick bent past Poke’s left upright.

McCombe and Constable then traded efforts, the home centre-half nodding Hawkridge’s corner over, before the Eastleigh striker forced Farman to tip round his left post.

Constable’s lofted effort landed on the roof of the net in stoppage time but, by then, the game was long since up for Todd’s well-beaten team.