Late winner keeps Eastleigh's unbeaten record going

With FA chairman Greg Dyke and ex-referee Howard Webb watching on, the Spitfires were gift-wrapped victory in a bizarre finale after being reduced to ten men by injury.

With the game in the second minute of added time, Eastleigh profited from an own goal by visiting defender Dom Collins, making it ten points gained from their four home games so far in the Vanarama Conference.

With Matt Fry healing a sore Achilles, the door was left open for left-back Michael Green to return after a three-match suspension.

Right-back Dan Spence came back from injury and assistant manager Craig McAllister was handed his first start of the season, with Stuart Fleetwood dropping to the bench.

The Spitfires forced three successive corners early on and from the second they almost made a breakthrough – McAllister’s header from Reason’s delivery was cleared off the line by Steve Brogan.

Southport, without a league win on their travels for 13 months, barely got a look-in as Eastleigh dominated the early possession.

The visitors had a sniff of an opening on ten minutes when the tough-tackling Reid was penalised for a foul on John Marsden, but Dave Fitzpatrick was easily crowded out as he ran onto Brogan’s short free-kick.

Spitfires instantly broke through James Constable who squared left to Reason, but his shot was charged down.

Eastleigh then felt hard done by when Green’s deep free-kick looked to come off a Southport player as Reid threatened at the back post, but no corner was given.

It was then Jamie Collins turned to give the ball away, The Sandgrounders pumped it down the right to Richard Brodie, who crossed for Brogan on the edge of the box.

Shouts of ‘hand-ball’ went up from the home fans behind the goal, but the visiting skipper lobbed his effort over in any case.

Eastleigh responded when Green flicked the ball inside for Constable on the left, but the striker couldn’t quite steady himself for a shot and keeper Danny Weston gathered.

The game had a slightly subdued feel to it at times on a still afternoon at the Silverlake, but Eastleigh were woken up with a start on 34 minutes when Southport came close to scoring.

Brodie played an exquisite round-the-corner pass to Evans, who got past Reid and volleyed the ball narrowly over with keeper Ross Flitney beaten.

The Spitfires responded with a great chance of their own but Weston managed to claw away McAllister’s header from Reason’s cross.

Then, with the game settling into an end-to-end pattern, Dean Beckwith’s slip allowed Brodie in on the right and his effort was touched behind at the near post with 40 minutes gone.

The breakthrough finally arrived four minutes into the second-half – and it went Eastleigh’s way.

Constable was brought down by Luke Foster on the edge of the box and Green tapped the free-kick to Reason, who found the net with an exquisite strike to the keeper’s right.

Weston then had to twice fingertip the ball away – first from Jack Midson’s hanging cross to the right and then from Reason’s corner.

Weston was under pressure again just after the hour, but was up to the task, turning away a low 18-yard strike by Midson to have menacingly cut across from the right.

Just when it looked as if the Spitfires had the game under control, they shot themselves in the foot, gifting Martin Foyle’s men a soft equaliser.

Collins fatally surrendered possession and Connor raced through unchecked to knock the equaliser past the exposed Flitney.

On 70 minutes Southport sub Paul Rutherford – just on for Evans – was booked for a foul on Spence who thankfully responded to treatment.

As Eastleigh boss Richard Hill readied Fleetwood, Yemi Odubade and Ben Wright on the touch line, Flitney fingertipped Foster’s header over as Southport grew in confidence.

The Spitfires’ bold triple substitution, with 13 minutes remaining saw Collins, McAllister and Midson taken off.

But there was concern for Eastleigh seven minutes later when Wright went down with knee problems just outside the visitors’ area.

The Sandgrounders broke and Rutherford tested Flitney with a shot on the run.

Wright looked none too comfortable after treatment, forcing Eastleigh to see out the game with ten men.

Southport tried to take advantage with Scott Kay threading the ball through to Marsden but, having got behind Beckwith, he was well blocked out by Flitney.

Brogan looped an effort over for Southport and, at that point, the visitors looked the likelier to sneak a late goal.

But incredibly Southport presented Eastleigh with an unlikely winner halfway through the four added minutes of time.

There looked to be little danger when Constable headed on a long free-kick but, in trying to find Weston, the hapless Collins instead headed into his own net, sparking scenes of joy behind the clubhouse end goal.