The Spitfires fell to defeat at the hands of Gateshead in Eastleigh’s first home game of the 2025/26 season in the Enterprise National League.
Despite starting the brightest of the two teams, Eastleigh fell to defeat to Gateshead after a couple of defensive errors allowed Gateshead to go into the break two goals up.
Eastleigh fought back in the second half and thought they found a way back into the game twice however both efforts were ruled out for offside.
Kevin Davis decided to keep the team unchanged to the Spitfires team that faced Brackley Town away last weekend. However, captain Jake Taylor who hasn’t featured since Maidenhead in a friendly at the end of July, returned to the bench along with Luis Fernandez who also returned to the squad after the injury he sustained in the final pre-season game against Farnborough.
Eastleigh made a lively start against Gateshead with captain Paul McCallum testing his range inside the opening 30 seconds. The striker connected sweetly with a volley from outside the box, forcing goalkeeper George Shelvey into an early scare as the effort rose narrowly over the crossbar.
Just four minutes later, McCallum went close again, this time with his head, after good build-up play from the Spitfires in a positive opening spell.
A pinpoint pass from Kieron Evans released Archie Harris down the left, and his dangerous cross caused chaos in the Gateshead box. Shelvey spilled the delivery under pressure from Aaron Blair, who recovered the loose ball and recycled it back to Harris. His second cross found McCallum at the back post, but Shelvey tipped his header over the bar.
However, it was the hosts who struck first. On 19 minutes, Louie Holzman’s attempted clearance fell kindly to Dom Telford on the edge of the box. The striker’s effort looped over the outstretched Nick Townsend, clipped the inside of the post, and nestled into the net to give Gateshead a 1-0 lead.
Moments later, Gateshead threatened again. Holzman was caught out by Frank Nouble, who fed Telford once more. Driving toward goal, he picked out Kain Adom, but Townsend produced an excellent save to deny the forward and keep Eastleigh in the contest.
Gateshead doubled their advantage shortly after. Telford was again the creator, threading a pass through for Adom, who this time made no mistake, slotting calmly into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.
Townsend was called into action again late in the 30th minute, producing a fine stop to keep out a long-range strike from Nouble after another Eastleigh mistake at the back.
The Heed remained in control as the half drew to a close, heading into the break with a deserved 2-0 lead over the Spitfires.
Josh Lundstram went into the referee’s book early in the second half after an Eastleigh corner was cleared, sparking a dangerous Gateshead counter that he was forced to halt with a foul.
The Spitfires then created their best chance of the half so far when Kieron Evans showed neat footwork in midfield before releasing Aaron Blair down the left. Blair drove into the box and cut the ball back to Lundstram on the edge of the area, but the midfielder blazed his shot over the bar.
Eastleigh continued to grow into the game, with Jayden Cousins finding Archie Harris in space on the left, though his cross was comfortably gathered by George Shelvey.
They came agonisingly close to halving the deficit shortly after when Luis Fernandez, introduced at half-time in place of Louie Holzman, rose highest to meet a cross, only for his header to be cleared off the line by a Gateshead defender.
Fernandez then showed his defensive quality at the other end, recovering superbly to deny substitute Hurst as he raced through on goal, diverting the danger behind for a corner.
Eastleigh thought they had found a route back into the contest late on when Richard Brindley’s cross fell to Temi Eweka, who lashed home a fine finish – but their celebrations were cut short by the assistant’s flag for offside.
Once again, Eastleigh’s celebrations were cut short when Connor Underhill’s superb footwork and perfectly weighted cross found Jake Taylor, who finished neatly past Shelvey only for the goal to be ruled out for offside again.
Underhill, who had been a bright spark off the bench tested the handling of Shelvey from range but this ended up being a comfortable save to round off the game 2-0 to Gateshead.
Eastleigh: Townsend (GK), Brindley (83′ Davis), Eweka, Pierre (83′ Underhill), Holzman (45′ Fernandez), Harris, Cousins, Lundstram (59′ Taylor), Evans (59′ Waruih), Blair, McCallum(C)
Yellow Cards: Josh Lundstram 52 Temi Eweka 65
Gateshead: Shelvey, Pani, Richardson (C), Grayson, Ferguson, Home (87’Flint), John, Adom (71′ Hurst), Chapman (78′ Fitzhugh), Telford (78′ Sheaf), Nouble
Goals: Dom Telford 19′, Kain Adom 25′
Yellow cards: Dom Telford 65′
Attendance 2101 (42)
