Eastleigh’s four game away winning streak came to an end after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Yeovil Town at Huish Park.
Lee Bradbury’s side is bursting with confidence as of late, with being top of the league form in the National League, and it showed as the visitors started with real intent.
Striker Danny Whitehall tried a speculative effort from 40 yards out within minutes of the start of the contest which sailed just over the crossbar, nearly replicating his wonder goal earlier in the campaign.
Eastleigh nearly worked an opening after some fast slick passing which sliced through the Yeovil press, Whitehall’s shot/cross just fired wide of the post from out wide.
At the other end, the home side were inches away from taking the lead, against the run of play, as Matt Worthington fizzed in a dangerous cross that Jordan Young was just shy of putting the Somerset side ahead.
The Glovers started to grow into the game with Worthington and Young at the heart of another attack again, vital blocks from Aaron Martin then George Langston prevented any further danger.
A long throw ball found Young who rounded Joe McDonnell and went to ground but any appeals were waved away by the referee for a penalty kick.
The hosts started to pin the visitors in there half as McDonnell made a glorious diving save to prevent Jordan Maguire-Drew, who’s shot was destined for the top corner, to keep the game goalless.
10 minutes before the half-time interval, Jordan Stevens was shown the first yellow card of the match for a foul on JJ McKiernan.
Michael Kelly took the resulting free kick as he cut it back to Whitehall, the striker’s shot rebounded to Charlie Carter who fired an awkward effort towards goal which just whistled past the post.
Lightening struck twice for Eastleigh’s shot stopper as he produced an excellent save to deny Maguire-Drew again from outside the 18-yard box after hammering the ball goal bound after a corner.
Both sides had great opportunities to take the lead in the first half but the contest was very much in the balance as neither team could make a break through.
The second-half started in a frantic manner as the home side burst out of the blocks to find the opening goal, after a scramble in the penalty area, Langston positioned himself perfectly to deny Yeovil by clearing the ball of the goal line.
Ousseynou Cisse was shown a yellow card for an incident further up the pitch before a Yeovil set piece.
Whitehall went down the other end and powered a shot through a sea of bodies only to have Grant Smith, in the Yeovil goal, gather his low effort.
After McDonnell saved from close range, the Spitfires countered quickly as Oscar Rutherford put in a pinpoint delivery to Whitehall at the back post who’s headed effort beat the Glovers goalkeeper but not the defender on the line.
The home side took the lead as a long cross found Worthington, who climbed on top of his marker, and his brilliant looped header evaded McDonnell and found the back of the net.
Eastleigh looked to make an instant response as Alfie Lloyd skipped past a green and white shirt but his deflected shot just scuttled past the post for a corner.
Cisse was shown a soft second yellow, for a late challenge, which resulted in the midfielder getting sent off after he stopped the home sides counter attack.
Bradbury turned to his bench as Christian Maghoma and Nigel Atangana replaced McKiernan and Jake Scrimshaw.
Maghoma had a brilliant chance to equalise as the game crept towards the full time whistle but was unsighted before his headed effort tamely was saved by Smith.
Regardless of a late onslaught by the visitors, the home side held on and won the contest by one goal to nil.
Report by Jack Bunclark
Yeovil Town: Smith, Williams, Bevan, Staunton (C), Reckford, Law, Cooper, Worthington, Stevens, Maguire-Drew, Young
Subs: Griffiths, D’Ath, Agbaje, Fisher, Oluwabori
Eastleigh: McDonnell, Rutherford, Martin (C), Langston, Kelly, Cisse, McKiernan, Carter, Lloyd, Scrimshaw, Whitehall
Subs: Flitney, Atangana, Maghoma, Bragg, Simpson
Attendance: 2,931 (165 away)
