Eastleigh 3 Torquay Utd 0

EASTLEIGH climbed to seventh in the National League with an improbable 3-0 home victory over Torquay United tonight.

It was a result you couldn’t see coming after 45 goalless minutes, but Jamie Cureton’s 48th-minute header and late strikes from Andy Drury and sub Ryan Bird secured three precious points.

Manager Ronnie Moore opted for experience up front, handing 41-year-old Cureton a starting debut alongside James Constable.

Cureton was darting around like a man half his age as Eastleigh forced a spate of early corners but, barring off-target efforts from Eastleigh’s Jai Reason and Cureton and the Gulls’ Jamie Reid, there was precious little to excite in the first 20 minutes.

Eastleigh were making good use of the flanks and, after right-back Joe Partington had set up Constable to turn and fire wide, left-back Michael Green burst forward for umpteenth time and delivered a cross which bounced dangerously across the area.

But it was Torquay who went closest on 24 minutes as Reid’s seemingly harmless shot wickedly dipped at the last moment and clipped the bar.

As half-time approached it was Torquay who looked the more likely with Luke Young bending a free-kick wide before Giancarlo Gallifuoco’s rasping strike was well turned aside by ‘keeper Ryan Clarke, bravely playing just three days after the death of his father.

As is often the case with Eastleigh, they came out for the second half with a greater sense of urgency and, within three minutes, had scored.

Constable, wide right, played the ball inside for Luke Coulson who crossed for the unmarked Cureton to meet with a diving header for his first Spitfires goal.

Torquay’s response was positive and just after the hour Clarke had to scramble to his left to deal with a goalbound strike from ex-Spitfire Brett Williams.

Giant defender Reda Johnson then sent a clear headed opportunity wide from an Eastleigh free-kick before the pressure went back on Clarke, who saved point-blank from dangerman Reid.

With Coulson showing his class, he had one shot turned away by keeper Brendan Moore and Cureton’s follow-up was blocked. Then the Spitfires’ No15 played in Constable who, with the far corner beckoning, shot wide.

Cureton was replaced by Ryan Bird up top before Constable went off with a head injury and was replaced by Mikael Mandron.

A largely underwhelming game burst into life late on as Eastleigh struck twice in four minutes to make the points safe.

On 89 minutes Torquay were penalised for a back pass after Moore had failed to keep a grip on Johnson’s header. With massed ranks of black and white shirts strung along the goalline Reason simply squared the free kick for Andy Drury to stroke in for 2-0.

Sub Bird put the icing on the cake in stoppage time, turning in the loose ball after Moore had taken the sting out of Mandron’s strike.

Eastleigh: Ryan Clarke, Joe Partington, Michael Green, Andy Drury, Reda Johnson, Ryan Cresswell, Jason Taylor, Luke Coulson, Jamie Cureton (Ryan Bird, 80), James Constable (Mikael Mandron, 86), Jai Reason. Subs (not used): Connor Essam, Jake Howells, Ryan Huddart.

Referee: David Rock

Attendance: 2,116