Martin Beck gave Eastleigh a second win in five months against a Saints XI - with another freak goal.

The second-half substitute struck a free kick beyond the despairing dive of Bartosz Bialkowski and into the top corner from 45 yards.

Saints goalkeeper Kevin Miller was guilty of a howler when Eastleigh triumphed against their more illustrious neighbours in a pre-season friendly, also at the Silverlake Stadium, back in July.

On that occasion, Miller conceded a long-range free kick from Darren Wheeler but Bialkowksi was less to blame for the 68th-minute strike from the diminutive Beck.

The left-flank inswinger was meant for the back post but was miscued and sailed into the top corner - within a minute of Beck's introduction.

It was struck from just inside the Saints half and was reminiscent of the free-kick that Ronaldhino scored against David Seaman during England's quarter-final defeat at the 2002 World Cup.

Saints reserve team coach Stewart Henderson said: "It was a once in a lifetime goal for Bart to concede.

"I expect him to save penalties because he normally does so to see him concede from that distance was a freak."

Eastleigh could easily have led at the break against a Saints side that was missing injured defenders Michael Svensson (knee) and Oliver Lancashire (groin).

Teenagers Lloyd James, a midfielder, and Michael Byrne deputised but new Eastleigh signing Tarkan Mustafa failed to take his chances against Bialkowski, while Jamie Brown put a free header over the bar in first half injury time.

Saints re-jigged their formation during the half-time break.

David Prutton played a more central role, having started on the right, while Leon Best played wide on the left and the outstanding Adam Lallana was given licence to link more often with David McGoldrick, who missed a close-range chance in each half.

Prutton was full of running in the second half.

He had a penalty appeal turned down after tumbling in the area on the hour and had a volley saved by Jamie Pullen after excellent approach work from Lallana.

Pullen also denied McGoldrick an equaliser, diving low to his left.

But Eastliegh nearly grabbed an injury-time second against the run of play when substitute Karim Hrabia's strike was deflected inches wide.

Teenager Lallana, who excelled in the second half, did not deserve to finish on the losing side.

His sleight of foot was too much for more physical opponents, but Henderson preferred to praise the hosts for using the hastily-arranged fixture to return to winning ways in front of a crowd of 407.

Henderson said: "David McGoldrick and Nathan Dyer had chances they normally tuck away but all credit to Eastleigh, it was a good game all round for both clubs.

"Their manager (Paul Doswell) has been pretty scathing of them in the press and I think he got a good response from them.

"They showed a very good work rate and commitment and he'll be hoping they take that into the league and get away from the bottom."

Eastleigh: Pullen, Marshall, Collins, West, Benali (Smith 67), Mustafa (Roberts 67), Smith (Beck 67), Cousins (Hrabia 59), Wheeler, Forbes, Brown (Bosley 62).

Saints: Bialkowski, Hatch, Byrne, James, Thomson, Prutton, Lallana, Sarmiento (Sparv 78), Dyer, Best (White 78), McGoldrick (Baseya 78) Subs not used: Poke (GK), Condesso, Paterson