A late goal from Paul McCallum earns Eastleigh all three points and ends Altrincham’s 10-match unbeaten run in the league.
Scott Quigley put the Spitfires ahead early in the first half, with Chris Conn-Clarke levelling things in the second half from the penalty spot.
Against the run of play, McCallum scored the all-important goal late on, making it three goals in three league games at the Silverlake for the striker.
The first chance of the game fell the way of Altrincham after a sloppy throw from the Spitfires, but Joe McDonnell denied Chris Conn-Clarke the opener after tipping his shot over the bar inside 10 minutes.
Eastleigh certainly made their first effort count and the Spitfires took the lead just two minutes later, with Paul McCallum nodding Chris Maguire’s cross back to Scott Quigley, who rolled it into the bottom-left corner.
The Spitfires thought they doubled their lead in the 23rd minute following Maguire’s corner, but the linesman put his flag up moments after George Langston headed it past Ethan Ross.
Richard Hill had a scare mid-way though the half with his goalkeeper McDonnell going down clutching his ankle, but after treatment, he was able to continue.
His goalkeeper was then called into action minutes later and he denied Alex Newby an equaliser after saving his shot from the left with his feet.
Another Maguire free-kick caused the Altrincham defence problems and after a scramble in the box, Jake Taylor saw his fierce effort cleared brilliantly off the line by Jake Cooper.
The Spitfires were forced into an early change, with the lively Maguire being replaced by Jayden Harris in the 38th minute due to an injury.
Lewis Bains almost got his side back level, but he couldn’t quite direct his header goal-wards after an excellent cross from Newby.
Eastleigh then went up the other end and had a similar chance, but just like Baines, Langston’s header narrowly missed the target.
A free-kick deep into added time was the last effort of the half, with Conn-Clarke’s powerful effort not troubling McDonnell – meaning Eastleigh went into the break leading.
Taylor had the first effort of the second half but Ross tipped his dipping long-shot over the bar smartly.
Newby then picked the pocket of Rutherford just inside the Eastleigh half and managed to roll the ball to Conn-Clarke for a one-on-one, but the attacker could only hit the post from 12-yards away.
The attacks from the away side kept coming and Justin Amaluzor did well to wriggle past Langston and cross it in from the by-line, but the attacker could only bundle it into the side netting.
The Spitfires were struggling to get out their own half and it was Newby again causing problems just past the hour mark, with a quick succession of corners almost getting them level.
A corner was their best route back into the game and it led to them winning a penalty, with Dior Angus being brought down as he tried to unleash a shot at goal.
Conn-Clarke took the penalty and after a stutter, he rolled it into the corner to level the scoring in the 66th minute.
Eastleigh finally managed to have a good chance on goal in the 72nd minute, but McCallum uncharacteristically failed to hit the target from inside the area.
The Spitfires were piling on the pressure with 15 minutes to go and had a flurry of efforts, but it was blocked every time by a man in red and white.
Against the run of play, Eastleigh took the lead in the 86th minute, with Quigley stealing the ball on the halfway line and rolling it through to McCallum, with the striker making no mistake from close range.
Report by Freddie Dorman
Eastleigh: McDonnell, Atangana (88′), Francillette, Taylor (C) (70′), McCallum, Boldewijn, Langston, Hodson, Maguire (38′), Quigley, Rutherford
Subs: Scott, Barlow (70′), Nwabuokei (88′), Panter, Harris (38′)
Altrincham: Ross, Banks, E. Jones, Baines, Osborne, Marriott (C), Conn-Clarke, Amaluzor (62′), Angus, Cooper, Newby
Subs: J. Jones, Linney (62′), Roscoe, Wilson, Sithole
Attendance: 2,121 (98 away)
