The Spitfires go a goal down early on, but respond well to turn it around and secure a big win against Rochdale.

Kairo Mitchell scored early on to give the Dale the lead, before Paul McCallum and Ludwig Francillette turned the scoring round before the break.

Chris Maguire put himself on the scoresheet at the hour mark to extend the Spitfires lead.

Devante Rodney pulled a goal back, but would see his strike get cancelled out by McCallum just a few minutes later.

There would be no more goals following this, with the Spitfires going on to win the six-goal-thriller.

Mitchell goal to give the visitors the lead came in the sixth minute, after intercepting a misplaced pass. His shot from the edge of the box found its way into the bottom left corner of the goal.

Just under a quarter of an hour later, Mitchell came close to scoring again. The ball was sent into his path with a cross from a tight angle, before he attempted to find the back of the net. When he did get his shot off, it went wide of the mark after being put under pressure by the Eastleigh defence.

McCallum levelled the scoring in the 22nd minute. Tyrese Shade picked up the ball on the right flank and whipped it into the box. His cross was tipped onto McCallum, who unleashed a headed effort on goal. Dan Sassi controlled his shot, but whilst trying to get the ball under control, McCallum pounced on the ball and headed it into the back of the net.

Francillette then went and put the Spitfires ahead in the 35th minute. McCallum sent a long throw into the box, with found the head of Francillette who managed to angle his effort perfectly into the side netting, giving David Robson no chance of making it.

Chris Maguire had a go at extending the Spitfires lead in the 42nd minute, from a dead ball situation. His shot grazed the side netting off the goal. This would be the last chance of the first-half, with the Spitfires going into the break with the lead.

Rochdale whipped an inviting cross into the box, which was cut out by Niall Maher, just after the break.

Joe McDonnell then denied Ryan East from getting an equaliser in the 57th minute. He made an impressive diving save, to parry the ball away from the target.

The Spitfires responded well to Rochdale’s effort, by extending their lead at the hour mark. Shade got in behind the Dale’s defence, before squaring the ball into the path of Maguire. The Scotsman was left with an easy finish, and cannoned the ball into the middle of the goal.

Mitchell came close to pulling one back of the visitors with a close-range headed effort in the 69th minute, but he could not quite find the target.

Devante Rodney then did manage to grab a goal back for the Dale. He found the back of the net with an effort from inside the box in the 71st minute, to make it game on going into the last 20 minutes.

McCallum was dragged down in the box just four minutes later, giving the Spitfires an opportunity to create some breathing space again.

He stepped up to take the penalty, and blasted the ball straight down the middle to score his second of the afternoon.

Jake Vokins curled a cross into the box in the 84th minute, which was nodded towards goal by Maher. His effort flashed just wide of the post.

Despite there being seven minutes added onto the end of the game, neither side managed to have any other real chances, meaning the Spitfires would secure an impressive win.

Eastleigh: McDonnell (GK), Brindley, Vokins, Humphries (Fernandez, 90+2′), Francillette, Maguire (Hodson, 72′), Taylor (C), McCallum, Shade (Panter, 90+1′), Waruih, Maher

Unused subs: Scott (GK), Boutin, Semenyo, McDonald

Goals: McCallum (22′, 77′), Francillette (35′), Maguire (60′)

Yellow cards: Shade (39′), McDonnell (90+5′)

Rochdale: Robson (GK), Gordon (C),East, Allarakhia (Senior, 69′), Gilmour (Westley, 78′), Mitchell, Rodney, Adebayo-Rowling (Henderson, 84′), Burger (McBride, 69′), Sassi (Ayinde, 90+6′), Beckwith

Unused subs: McNicholas (GK), Armstrong

Goals: Mitchell (6′), Rodney (71′)

Yellow cards: Beckwith (34′), Robson (42′), Gilmour (62′)

Referee: Aaron Farmer

Attendance: 1,836 (182 away)

Report by Matthew Gibbs