Eastleigh got their Hampshire Senior Cup journey underway with a victory against AFC Stoneham.

The Spitfires hosted AFC Stoneham in their opening game of the Hampshire FA Senior Cup and it was the home side that started the better team.

Eastleigh were creating the most chances and after 11 minutes Callum Ebanks’s header was tipped just over the bar thanks to an acrobatic save from the Stoneham keeper.

The Blues nearly went one up as a dangerous ball was played into the box and sliced at by a AFC Stoneham defender and bounced off the top of the bar.

On the brink of half-time, Eastleigh took the lead when Ryan Hill whipped in a corner from the left-hand side which found the head of Callum Ebanks.

Eastleigh doubled their lead early into the second half when Kaya Tshaka headed the ball in from a rebounded shot which hit off the post.

It wasn’t long before Eastleigh made it a third when Jake Hesketh’s shot from outside the box curled into the bottom right of the goal.

AFC Stoneham managed to get a goal back when keeper Ross Flitney saved a free kick which was followed up by Stoneham’s Scott Hills, who tapped it in.

Eastleigh looked to keep the pressure on and in the 70th minute, forward Ryan Hill had his lob shot cleared off the line by the Stoneham defender.

AFC Stoneham found a second of the night when a low cross was played in and deflected of Tom Gruzewski for an unfortunate own goal.

With three minutes to go, Stoneham were awarded a penalty as Flitney brought down a Stoneham player inside the box.

However, the penalty was saved by Flitney who dived to his right.

After a nervy couple of minutes, Eastleigh managed to see off the pressure at the end and were 3-2 winners against AFC Stoneham and advance into the next round.

Eastleigh FC: Flitney, Camp, Gruzewski, Wan, Kelly, Atangana, Tshaka, Rutherford, Hesketh, Hill, Ebanks Subs: Mumford, Malpas, Palmer, Harris, Evans

Goal(s): Ebanks, Tshaka, Hesketh / Hills, O.G

Report By Tom Goward