Eastleigh clinched a dramatic win in injury time away to Woking after a defensive blunder from the Cardinals.
Danny Whitehall opened the scoring after lobbing Craig Ross, only for Jack Roles to find the top corner from range and level the game.
Deep into the eight minutes of stoppage time, a mistake from the home defence played in Lyle Simpson whose attempt bounced off the post and into the path of Dan Smith who tapped into an empty net to give the spitfires a deserved win.
5 minutes into the first half, Woking missed a golden opportunity; Jermaine Anderson found himself with space in the box but slipped over when taking his shot.
Eastleigh defence was tested again soon after, Ross Flitney pushing over a Max Kretzschmar attempt over the bar in his first league start of the season.
Hesketh came close to opening the scoring after a dangerous counter attack, an impressive threaded ball to Whitehall was played back to Hesketh but his shot was directed straight at the goalkeeper and the scores remained level.
The Spitfires were inches away from making it 1-0 ten minutes before the break, Tyrone Barnett put in a promising cross but Roman Silva’s header went just wide of the post.
The opposite almost happened a few moments later at the other end of the pitch as Moussa Diarra’s attempt rattled off the word work, keeping the scores level.
Young defender Brendan Wilson’s heroics kept it equal going into half time after a superb block off the line denied the Cardinals a one goal advantage.
After a slow start to the second half, the spitfires had a penalty shout in the 64th minute, substitute Sam Smart looked to have been brought down in the box but the referee didn’t give it the visitors way.
Just over a minute later Whitehall gave Eastleigh the lead after lobbing the ball over Craig Ross in the Woking goal where the ball trickled into an empty net.
The scores were soon levelled after an audacious attempt by Roles swerved its way past Flitney who could do nothing as the ball sailed into the top corner
In injury time, Woking were reduced to ten men after Jamar Loza was given a straight red after a late challenge on Brennan Camp, in a game which had already seen seven yellow cards produced.
In a horrific defensive error by Woking, Lyle Simpson broke through struck at goal, only to be stopped by the post but the rebound falling to Dan smith who comfortably slotted home a winner for the away team.
Report by Olly Johnson
Eastleigh FC: Flitney; Camp, Willson, Boyce, Harper; Hollands, Silva, Hesketh; Smith, Barnett, Whitehall
Subs: Bragg, Yang, Smart, Simpson, Pitman
Woking FC: Ross, Casey, Champion, Diarra, Effiong, Kretzschmar, Johnson, Roles, Longe-King, Anderson, Ince
Subs: Loza,Nwabuokei, Annesley, Allarakhia, Kabamba
