The Spitfires are held to a draw on New Year’s Day against a high flying Barnet side at the Silverlake Stadium.

Eastleigh took the lead of the game in the 16th minute, through Tyrese Shade who got onto the end of a brilliant cross by Richard Brindley.

Towards the end of the game, Barnet found a leveller through Callum Stead, who headed the ball into the back of the net from close-range.

The first big chance of the day came within the first ten minutes, when Billy Clifford attempted to give Barnet an early lead. The ball trickled out to him on the edge of the area, before he unleashed a powerful shot. Paul McCallum put his body on the line and got down low to block the effort, before seeing the ball get cleared away from danger.

Following a fast break in the 15th minute, the Spitfires took the lead of the game. A superb ball was played over the top towards the right flank, and into the path of Richard Brindley who curled the ball into the box. Tyrese Shade stretched to meet the ball, before firing it home into the bottom left corner of the goal.

The visitors looked to respond quickly, and came close to equalising seven minutes after the opener. Ben Coker cut in towards the box, before curling the ball towards goal. But, he wasn’t able to find the target, and saw the ball go narrowly wide of the mark.

In the 40th minute, Barnet came knocking again. Anthony Hartigan hit a free kick towards the left hand side of goal, with some power. Joe McDonnell got across to match his shot, with an impressive diving save, to keep the Spitfires ahead.

Barnet did manage to find the back of the net, on the stroke of half-time, but would have their goal ruled out as offside. This would mean that the Spitfires would go into the break a goal to the good.

After the break, Ludwig Francillette produced a fine block to deny Zak Brunt from potentially giving Joe McDonnell some problems with his low driven effort in the 48th minute.

After a period of putting pressure onto the Eastleigh goal, Barnet found a way through and equalised in the 71st minute. Callum Stead glanced a header across goal into the bottom left corner, after connecting with a ball that was whipped in by Ryan Glover.

Paul McCallum looked set to take back the lead of the game for Eastleigh, with just less than ten minutes of normal time remaining. He found himself through on goal, but would be denied by a last ditch challenge.

In an attempt to snatch a late win for Barnet, Rhys Browne had a go from the edge of the box, but dragged his shot just wide of the target. This would be the last chance of the game, and it would end all square in SO50.

Eastleigh: McDonnell (GK), Brindley (Maguire, 75′), Humphries, Francillette, Taylor (C), McCallum, Shade, Gape (Hodson, 80′), Waruih, Boutin, Maher

Unused subs: Scott (GK), Fernandez, Stepien-Iwumene, Semenyo, Underhill

Goals: Shade (15′)

Yellow cards: McDonnell (58′)

Barnet: Hayes (GK), Coker (Cropper, 83′), Collinge, Stead, Glover, Brunt (Kabamba, 60′), Hartigan (C), Clifford (Browne, 60′), Oluwo, Tavares (Shelton, 60′), Kellock

Unused subs: Bellagambi (GK), Kanu, Grimwood

Goals: Stead (71′)

Yellow cards: Glover (62′)

Referee: Wayne Cartmel

Attendance: 2,188 (294 away)

Report by Matthew Gibbs