The Spitfires are defeated by league leaders Chesterfield despite a late resurgence at the SMH Group Stadium.

The first half was extremely tight with the sides heading down the tunnel all tied up at 0-0.

Chesterfield had a bright start to the second-half, scoring twice within the first 11 minutes, they then added another in the 68th to take a commanding lead.

McCallum and Quigley pulled two back in the 75th and 80th minute but it wasn’t enough as the Spitfires went on to lose in Derbyshire.

Chesterfield started well with their first chance coming in the third minute, Tom Naylor blazed a shot over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

Joe McDonnell was forced into action in the sixth minute when he excellently tipped Ryan Colclough’s long range effort onto the crossbar.

The Spitfires first chance of the game came in the ninth minute when Jayden Harris connected with a corner that was swung in by Enzio Boldewijn but his headed effort went just over the target.

Moments later, Paul McCallum tested Harry Tyrer with an audacious half-volley from around 35-yards out.

Down the other end of the pitch, Darren Oldaker had a go from the edge of the boxes but he couldn’t quite curl his shot home.

Colclough tried it from a tight angle in the 25th minute but saw his effort matched well by McDonnell.

Neither side would go on to create any real chances in the next 20 minutes.

Colclough almost managed to loop the ball into the net of the net but his effort dinked the crossbar on it’s way down in the 45th minute.

Grigg opened the scoring when he poked the ball home from just a couple yards out in the 53rd minute.

Banks doubled the hosts lead juts three minute later when he curled the ball into the right side of the net.

Aidan Barlow had only been on the pitch for a matter of moments when he tested Tyrer with a close range effort.

Grigg then went down the other end and slammed a shot against the crossbar as the hosts continued their purple patch.

Scott Quigley came painfully close to pulling one back for the Spitfires in the 67th minute with a shot from close range that was dealt with well by Tyrer.

Banks grabbed his second goal of the afternoon in the 68th minute to seriously hurt the Spitfires chances of getting anything from the game.

McCallum pulled one back for the Spitfires in the 75th minute when he nodded home an inviting cross from the wing.

Scott Quigley then bagged another for the Spitfires five minutes later, he took a touch on the edge of the box before firing a shot on the spin into the bottom left corner.

The Spitfires looked like they had equalised when Scott Quigley put the ball into the back of the net in the 87th minute but the linesman put his flag up and the goal was chalked off.

This was the final chance of the game as the Spitfires went on to lose despite their late comeback.

Report by Matthew Gibbs

Chesterfield: Tyrer (GK), Horton (84), Naylor, Grimes (C), Mandeville, Oldaker, Grigg (71), Colclough, Dobra (71), Palmer, Banks

Subs: Sheckleford, Freckleton (84), Jacobs (71), Berry, J Quigley (71)

Eastleigh: McDonnell (GK), Atangana (60), Francillette, Taylor (C) (60), McCallum, Boldewijn, Langston, Hodson, S Quigley, Rutherford (79), Harris

Subs: Scott (GK), Clampin (79), Barlow (60), Nwabuokei (60), Panter

Attendance: 7,260 (53 away)