A goal eight minutes from time saw Town slip to defeat in a game that they had dominated for long periods.
For Town, Callum Howe returned from illness to replace Kelvin Langmead and Lloyd Kerry was given a start in place of Jack Muldoon.
Town were given a dream start when they took the lead inside two minutes.
James Belshaw’s free kick from deep inside his own half found Joe Leesley unmarked and he promptly volleyed the bouncing ball past the Spitfires keeper, Max Stryjek.
Eastleigh soon recovered and Jack Emmett had to make a fine defensive tackle to rob the dangerous Paul McCallum.
The Spitfires threatened with a series of crosses into the Town box but they were ably dealt with by Belshaw.
Midway through the half,a Kerry drive from almost thirty yards produced a diving save from Stryjek, but on twenty-seven minutes the Spitfires equalised.
Hare found space down the right flank and his low cross was expertly swept into the bottom right corner of the net by Ben Williamson.
Excellent work by Dom Knowles saw him find Ryan Fallowfield who passed to Emmett on the edge of Eastleigh’s area, but his left footed strike flashed past the upright.
Next,the normally prolific, McCallum squandered a good chance to give Eastleigh a half time lead when he blasted a centre from Joey Jones way over Town’s crossbar.
Town dominated the second half but found it hard to create clear cut chances against the home defence in which Johnson was outstanding.
Michael Woods and Aaron Williams replaced Kerry and Knowles and Town had the lion’s share of possession as the Spitfires appeared to tire.In spite of their dominance,it took until the seventyeigth minute before Town gained their first corner.
However,with only eight minutes left,disaster struck for Town when they were caught on the break and sub, Cavaghn Miley, raced through to curl the ball past Belshaw for the winner.
Mark Beck was introduced as Town tried desperately to rescue a point,but it was not to be and so Town will attempt to get back to winning ways, on Boxing Day when they host, Halifax Town.
Town
Belshaw, Fallowfield, Falkingham, Howe, Burrell, Thomson, Emmett(Beck 83), Knowles(Williams 73), Leesley, Kerry(Woods 69), Kitching.
Unused subs, Cracknell,Muldoon.
Booked Howe,Falkingham
Scorer, Leesley 2
Eastleigh
Stryjek,Hare, Green, Johnson, Boyce(Gobern 77), Wynter, Jones, Hollands, Yates(McKnight 90), Williamson(Miley 77), McCallum.
Unused subs, Zebroski,Dennett.
Booked Miley.
Scorers,Williamson 27, Miley 82.
Att.1622
Referee W Finney
By John Harrison.
@JohnHar59276371
