Eastleigh rose to the heady heights of second in the Ryman Premier Division after a goal feast against rock-bottom Kingstonian at the Sparshatts Stadium last night.

Having zoomed into a 4-0 lead inside the opening 19 minutes, Eastleigh allowed themselves to be pegged back to 4-3 before ex-Saint Ryan Ashford restored order by converting a penalty on the brink of half-time.

Chris Collins scored Eastleigh's sixth from a corner in the 65th-minute, but still the drama wasn't over.

Two minutes later, Kingstonian's Steve Sanders got his marching orders for a second bookable offence.

The result leapfrogs Eastleigh into second place, courtesy of a superior goal difference over Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Manager Paul Doswell, enjoying his first game back after a holiday in Dubai, said: "We set ourselves the target of winning our two home games this week and we've done it.

"I wasn't here when we beat Dover on Saturday, but I got reports every 15 minutes!

"Our goal difference (plus 14) is the best in the league and it's worth another point to us.

"We've got no game now until December 4, so this gives us a nice push to be going on with. The break allows us time to get everybody fit."

Former Winchester City strike ace Andy Forbes continued his comeback from a double calf operation with goals in the fourth and 19th minutes.

They were sandwiched around an Ahmet Rifat own goal and a cracking 35-yard free-kick from set-piece maestro Ashford who picked up the sponsors' man-of-the-match award.

But from seemingly cruising, Eastleigh began to undo their good work when Collins headed past his own keeper Wayne Shaw.

That sparked a mini revival from the Surrey visitors, who scored twice more through Rifat and Giles Coke in the space of three minutes.

"Eastleigh being Eastleigh, we decided to give the crowd a bit of a game," smiled Doswell. "But fortunately the penalty came at just the right time and gave us a bit of breathing space."

Midfielder Danny Smith was taken off at half-time after injuring his knee in what Doswell described as a "kamikaze" tackle. "He's very committed, but he's got to learn when to tackle like that and when not to," said the boss.

Striker James Stokoe has returned to training after a broken ankle and could be back within a fortnight.