It was an agonising defeat for The Spitfires and Kelvin Davis as Oldham held out to claim a 2-1 win at The Silverlake Stadium.
It was a game of few chances but chances were what Oldham took as managed to come away with all three points thanks to two goals from Joe Garner.
Despite a late wonder strike from substitute Enzio Boldewijn to half the deficit Davis’s side couldn’t find the all important equaliser.
The first five minutes saw all the action towards the Eastleigh goal with Mark Kitching putting in two dangerous crosses but nothing coming from either of them.
The next 20 minutes was relatively quite for both teams with neither really being able to create any clear cut chances to score.
But as the clock struck the 25th minute Joe Garner received the ball on the half turn splitting the defence and passing the ball into the bottom corner.
Joe McDonnell is forced to make a wonderful save to deny Oldham’s captain Liam Hogan in the 38th minute from close range.
One minute into the second half Nigel Atangana receives his second yellow of the game and the Spitfires are down to ten men.
Despite the red card the Spitfires managed to control the Letics to minimal chances however Garner must feel he should have scored again after he blazed one over from eight yards in the 58th minute.
Joe Garner scored again to make it 2-0 to the away side after he received it in the box, flicked it past the on rushing defender and slotted the ball home in the 69th minute of the game.
Coming into the last five minutes of the game Enzio Boldewijn picked the ball up on the right hand side of the Oldham penalty box and cannons a shot off of the far post into the top corner to make it 2-1.
Despite six added minutes the spitfires couldn’t find the equaliser and Oldham take all three points.
Eastleigh: McDonnell (GK), Atangana, Francillette, Taylor(C), McCallum, Langston, Hodson, Nwabuokei, Quigley(73′), Rutherford(64′), Greenwood(45′)
Subs: Reeves, Barlow, Boldewijn(64′), Croll(45′), Maguire(73′)
Oldham: Hudson (GK), Kitching, Hogan (C), Hobson, Fondop(82′), Sheron, Green, Raglan, McGahey, Garner, Hammond(73′)
Subs: Norman(GK), Gardner(73′), Sutton, Walker, Dalllas(82′)
Attendance: TBC
Report by Zach Miller
