Following some late drama at the Silverlake Stadium, the Spifires draw with Gateshead.

Just as Gateshead looked set to have snatched a late win, Jake Taylor fired the ball home from the spot to level things.

With it being goalless going into the last five minutes of normal time, it looked as if the game would end that way.

Tyrell Sellars-Fleming would then go on to give Gateshead the lead, before seeing his goal cancelled out at the death by Taylor.

The first big chance of the game came in the 13th minute, with Johan Malcolm shooting from a tight angle, and testing Joe McDonnell’s reactions. The Eastleigh ‘keeper was quick to poke his toe onto the shot, and put the ball out for a corner, which resulted in nothing.

Eastleigh’s first chance of the game came ten minutes after the Gateshead chance. Jesurun Uchegbulam chopped and changed direction of his run, before having a go on the edge of the box. His shot was blocked by the Gateshead defence.

Five minutes or so later, Lee Hodson looped a headed effort just over the crossbar, with both sides now pushing for an opener.

Tyrese Shade was the next to have an attempt on goal, as he tested Tiernan Brooks with a shot on the left side of the box.

Moments later, the Spitfires looked set to take the lead of the game. The corner which resulted from Shade’s effort found its way over to Hodson, who drilled a shot towards the bottom right corner, only to see it get blocked. The ball then ricocheted into Uchegbulam’s path. But, he was unable to compose himself, and put his effort wide.

Gateshead had the last big effort on goal of the half. Malcolm turned on the edge of the box, before blasting a shot towards goal. His shot was blocked by Lloyd Humphries, meaning the two sides would remain locked together going into half-time.

For the majority of the second-half, neither team was able to get any promising shots off. That was until Noa Boutin came close to putting the Spitfires ahead in the 73rd minute. He put the ball wide, with a close-range shot that came after a counter attack.

In the 78th minute, Eastleigh had an openly appeal waved away by the referee, after Chris Maguire was taken down inside the area. After this, the ball would trickle out for Hodson, who struck the ball on the edge of the box, but would see his shot get blocked.

The next chance came for Gateshead. Luke Hannant drilled a shot towards goal, but would see his effort get blocked by Boutin.

Moments later, they would go on to take the lead of the game. Tyrell Sellars-Fleming found the back of the net to give the away side the lead in the 85th minute.

As the game went into injury-time, the Spitfires earned a penalty. Jake Taylor stepped up to take, and slotted his ball into the middle of the net to earn the Spitfires a well deserved point at the Silverlake Stadium.

Eastleigh: McDonnell (GK), Humphries (Fernandez, 65′), Francillette, Taylor (C), Shade, Hodson, Uchegbulam (Quigley, 59′), Waruih, Boutin, Close (Maguire, 75′), Maher

Unused subs: Scott (GK), Panter, Ryan, Underhill

Goals: Taylor (P) (90+2′)

Yellow cards: Fernandez (88′)

Gateshead: Brooks (GK), Tinkler (C), Booty, Worman, Belehouan, Humbles (McGowan, 66′), Roles (Colkett, 80′), Hannant, Sellars-Fleming (Bartley, 90′), Horton, Malcolm

Unused subs: Bond (GK), Bartley, Sheaf, Bramwell, Thompson

Goals: Sellars-Fleming (85′)

Yellow cards: Sellars-Fleming (70′), Roles (78′)

Referee: Matthew Russell

Attendance: 1,588 (31 away)

Report by Matthew Gibbs