Eastleigh suffered their first home league defeat of the season with a 2-0 loss at the hands of table-topping Notts County at the Silverlake Stadium.
Second half goals from Adam Chicksen and Ruben Rodrigues were enough to seal all three points for the Magpies.
The opening 20 minutes saw the two sides even each other out, with the first chance of note coming for the visitors in the 22nd minute, when Sam Austin’s goal-bound effort was deflected over the bar by George Langston.
Notts County continued to pressurise with a series of crosses into the box which were dealt with each time by the resilient Spitfires defence.
As the game approached half time, the game burst into life when Rodrigues played in County’s top scorer Macauley Langstaff, who fired his shot over the bar.
The Spitfires then registered their first effort on goal, as JJ McKiernan’s attempt went straight at goalkeeper Sam Slocombe.
Just minutes into the second half, Tristan Abrahams was played through on goal by a fantastic long ball from Joe McDonnell, before flashing an effort narrowly wide.
Notts County responded with an acrobatic effort from Rodrigues that hit the side-netting, as the game began to open up.
Oscar Rutherford then whipped in a free-kick that was headed across goal by Brennan Camp into the path of Aaron Martin, who couldn’t convert from close range.
In the 56th minute, County took the lead when Tobi Adebayo-Rowling drifted in a cross from the right-hand side that was headed home by Chicksen.
Rodrigues nearly doubled the Magpies lead when his deflected shot looped narrowly wide.
Rodrigues then found substitute Cedwyn Scott in space, but a last-ditch challenge by Vincent Harper prevented County from adding a second.
The second goal did come just a minute later, as Rodrigues finished off a fine move from the visitors.
A sensational save from McDonnell prevented a third from Geraldo Bajrami as County continued to attack.
Adebayo-Rowling rattled the post late on after he was played in by an excellent ball by Austin.
Eastleigh Starting XI: McDonnell, Camp, Martin (c), Carter, Cisse (66), Hill (78), Langston, Abrahams, McKiernan, Harper, Rutherford (78)
Subs: Maghoma, Hesketh (78), Whitehall (66), Atangana, Kelly (78)
Notts County Starting XI: Slocombe, Cameron (c), Rawlinson, Brindley, Chicksen, Adebayo-Rowling, Francis (64), Palmer, Rodrigues (76), Austin, Langstaff (76)
Subs: Baldwin, Bajrami (76), Nemane, Scott (64), Mitchell (76)
Report by Tom Humphrey
