PAUL DOSWELL was honest enough to describe Eastleigh's defeat at high-riding Yeading last night as "a 3-2 hammering."

All the reports he'd heard about Yeading suggested they were the best side in the Ryman Premier Division - and, on this evidence, he wouldn't disagree.

"Their pace and movement up front was something we hadn't encountered before. In fact, they had pace all over the park," reported Doswell.

"They're the best side we've played - and that includes the likes of Weymouth, Aldershot and Dorchester.

"I've got no complaints about the result. We could have been six or seven down by half-time.

"We put Chris Collins at sweeper in the second half to counter their pace.

"It worked, but we didn't create anything ourselves."

Eastleigh were two down inside ten minutes but managed to get a foothold back into the game when Nicky Banger was felled and got up to convert the penalty.

Yeading made it 3-1 before David Hughes squared for Martin Thomas to bury a well-worked reply.

The visitors could even have gone in level but for a great save from Banger, but Doswell admitted: "The scoreline reflected kindly on us.

"It would have taken a really good side to have stopped Yeading - and we weren't a good side tonight."

Eastleigh gave a debut to former Winchester City and Lymington & New Milton right-sided player John Mulhern, who has joined on a month's loan from Farnborough Town.