One ex-Saint paid tribute to another after Eastleigh comprehensively outplayed Bashley last night to leapfrog the Foresters into fourth place in the Dr Martens Eastern Division.

On a superlative night of football from the Ten Acres crew, it was two-goal former Dell midfielder David Hughes who stood out from the crowd.

The injuries that forced him to quit the professional game prematurely mean that 30-year-old Hughes has to pick and choose his matches carefully these days.

But when Eastleigh's player/assistant manager is in full battle cry, the opposition simply can't live with him.

"No one else on the pitch could have scored our third goal tonight," raved former Dell hardman Mark Dennis, loving life as Eastleigh's director of football.

With the Stoneham Lane club reduced to ten men following the 44th-minute dismissal of yet another ex-Saint, Phil Warner, Hughes sensationally capitalised on a miskick from Bashley goalkeeper Mike Hookway, who had been put under needless pressure from defender Ollie Cherrett's throw.

Hughes' speed of thought and deft control as he planted an instinctive long-range shot into the gaping net was a joy to behold for Dennis, who said: "If that had been anyone else, they would have hit the ball over the bar. Dave's got such quickness of mind. He's like a snooker player, he thinks two shots ahead."

Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell agreed: "David was fantastic. Someone said to me tonight that he's not far off being able to play at pro level and I wouldn't disagree with that.

"Bashley started better than us tonight, playing the ball long to Danny Gibbons and Michael Jackson. But when you're under the cosh, you need quality to come through and when you've got David and Kevin Gibbens in midfield, at this level they're exceptional."

After Jackson and Gibbons had caused Eastleigh early problems in the air, it was player/assistant manager Hughes who set the hosts on the path to victory.

Baffling Bashley with their passing and movement, Eastleigh worked the ball quickly from left to right via Gibbens and Robbie Matthews for Hughes to fire home on the angle in the 21st minute. It was the first goal the Foresters had conceded in four league games under new boss John Robson.

Fifteen minutes later Bash conceded again with Lee Bright winning a tackle and the ball looping forward for ex-Saints striker Nicky Banger to bury from the tightest of angles.

Bookings for Jackson and ex-Eastleigh midfielder Mat Jones suggested the Bash boys were in danger of losing their cool.

But instead it was Warner - just back from injury and a 56-day suspension - who boiled over when referee James Linington awarded the visitors a penalty.

Gibbons had pounced on the loose ball after giant keeper Colin Matthews had worked wonders to parry Aaron Cook's long-range piledriver and his shot rebounded off Eastleigh skipper Rob Marshall's arm.

As the ref pointed to the spot, Warner spoke out of turn and was shown red before Bash captain Craig Davis fired home the penalty.

But for a brilliant tip-over by Matthews from Jackson's towering header, Bash could have been all square at the break but, despite their man advantage, they were totally outclassed in the second half.

Admittedly it needed another fine save from Matthews to turn round Jones's long-range blast in the 79th minute, but for the most part it was Bashley who looked like the team with ten men.

Robson said: "The best team by a mile won. We were second best to everything which is very disappointing after our last three performances. Even when Eastleigh had ten men we failed to exploit the situation."

The one bright note of the evening for Robson was completing the signing of tenacious hitman Martin Whiddett from AFC Totton.

The 32-year-old has opted to join the Foresters despite keen interest from Bognor Regis, Winchester City, AFC Newbury and Lymington & New Milton.