Despite a late scare from the Shaymen, the Spitfires came out victorious in a five-goal thriller in West Yorkshire.

Chris Maguire calmly slotted the ball home from the spot early on to put the Spitfires ahead before Paul McCallum grabbed a brace in the second half to really put the Spitfires in the drivers seat.

The Shaymen did not back down through and mounted a late comeback with Hoti and Keane scoring but they could not find an equaliser.

The first bit of action came for the hosts in the sixth minute when Jack Evans saw his audacious effort from outside the box go high and wide of the goal.

Scott Quigley had the first chance for the Spitfires in the 13th minute when the ball was dragged back into his path but his shot on the edge of the box was saved low by Sam Johnson.

Millenic Alli dragged a shot wide for the hosts in the 15th minute after cutting into the box from the right wing.

Paul McCallum was slipped through on goal by Quigley in the 18th minute but was brought down, earning the Spitfires a penalty.

Chris Maguire stepped up to take the penalty and even though Sam Johnson dived the right way he managed to place the ball beyond him into the bottom left corner to put the Spitfires ahead.

Max Wright tried to bring the hosts level in the 28th minute with a shot from outside of the box but his effort was tipped over the bar by Joe McDonnell.

Quigley had an attempt on goal from the edge of the box in the 30th minute but pulled it just wide of the post as the Spitfires pushed on looking to extend their lead.

Bailey Clements swung a superb cross into the box in the 33rd minute which was met by Paul McCallum but his headed effort was saved by Johnson.

Florent Hoti had the ball slipped into his path in the 38th minute but his shot from the edge of the box was comfortably saved by McDonnell.

Alli came close to equalising for the hosts in the 39th minute with a shot across goal but saw his effort go just wide of the post.

Moments later Alli got onto the end of a cross and looked certain to score but he could not get close range headed effort on target.

Hoti came close in the 52nd minute with a shot that looked destined for the top left corner but his effort was saved by a diving McDonnell, keeping the Spitfires ahead.

Alli got onto the end of a cross moments later but his close range effort missed just wide to the right of the goal as the Shaymen pushed hard in search of an equaliser.

The Spitfires doubled their lead against the run of play in the 54th minute, Quigley had a shot saved by Johnson that rolled across the face of goal and was poked in by McCallum.

Quigley rounded Johnson in the 57th minute but put himself into a tight position for a shot so cut before having a go on goal but the Shaymen keeper’ recovered well to save his effort.

McCallum added a third for the Spitfires in the 73rd minute after Enzio Boldewijn ran almost the full length of the pitch to slip him through 1-on-1 with Johnson who got a hand to the shot but it wasn’t enough to deny him of his second of the afternoon.

Hoti pulled one back for Halifax in the 79th minute, the ball was squared into his path from the left wing before he struck it home into the roof of the net.

McCallum came close to grabbing his hattrick in the 81st minute but his headed effort went just over the bar.

Jordan Keane grabbed a second for the Shaymen following a corner in the 86th minute to cement their comeback charge but the Spitfires held out to secure the win in West Yorkshire.

Report by Matthew Gibbs

FC Halifax Town: Johnson (C), Golden, Galvin, Stott, Cappello, Hunter, Alli, Evans (64), Wright (74), Hoti, Wilson (74)

Subs: Scott (GK), Thompson-Sommers (64), Keane (74), Oluwabori (74), Iwobi

Eastleigh: McDonnell (C), Atangana, Francillette, McCallum, Boldewijn (77), Langston, Rendall, Nwabuokei, Maguire, Clements, Quigley

Subs: Scott (GK), Barlow, Rutherford (77), Chalwell, Yang

Attendance: 1,917 (26 away)