Eastleigh took their unbeaten home run into double figures with an incident-packed 3-2 win over Chester in the Vanarama Conference this afternoon.

Both sides played the entire second half with ten men after Spitfires skipper Dean Beckwith and Chester winger Matty Hughes had been sent off in a 38th minute bust-up at the Silverlake.The Spitfires got off to a purposeful start with Chester skipper Matt Brown required to head off his own line within a matter of seconds after Craig McAllister had met Dan Spence’s cross with a thumping header.

Keeper Jon Worsnop then had to punch out Michael Green’s in-swinging corner from under the bar before James Constable’s follow-up was deflected out for another corner with less than two minutes gone.

Left winger Matty Hughes provided some attacking spark for Chester, sweetly back-heeling the ball to Sean McConville who forced Ross Flitney’s first save with ten minutes gone.

But Eastleigh carried by far the bigger threat with Constable running into traffic inside the box as he looked to capitalise on good work by Green and then Stuart Fleetwood darted straight through the heart of the visitors’ defence but fired straight at Worsnop.

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With Eastleigh’s movement and interplay in the final third keeping Chester on their toes, the lively Fleetwood fired off another couple of warning shots before the Spitfires forged ahead with a beautifully worked team goal on 25 minutes.

Spence brought the ball out of his own half and Jai Reason kept the move going before McAllister found Ben Strevens inside the box.

The midfielder’s low, driven shot from the left was parried by the keeper but Worsnop was powerless to stop STREVENS as he drilled the follow-up into the far corner.

Strevens might have scored again soon afterwards but planted a soft header into Worsnop’s arms after the Spitfires had broken quickly after Flitney had come out to deal with Hughes’ threat on the edge of his area.

The game’s first flashpoint arrived just after the half hour when Spence was taken out by a late challenge from McConville yards from the Eastleigh dug-out – much to the displeasure of home manager Richard Hill who left those in the opposing technical area in no doubt about his annoyance at the incident which saw McConville yellow carded.

Chester then lost wideman Craig Mahon to injury before the game well and truly boiled over with a double dismissal on 38 minutes.

Eastleigh skipper Dean Beckwith was heading for a booking for a foul on Hughes, but the feisty, little No 27 reacted angrily and the pair squared up.

Beckwith leant in to the Chester player with his head, whereupon Hughes head-butted the tall defender.

Referee Adam Bromley showed the pair of them the red card and, while Beckwith left the field peacefully, Hughes had to be restrained by members of the Chester coaching staff.

As the ten versus ten battle commenced, Fleetwood played McAllister in on goal but the forward was denied by an excellent tackle by Brown.

Hill made a half-time adjustment with Chris Todd filling the rearguard void left by Beckwith and Constable playing no further part.

The first chance of the second half fell to Eastleigh with McAllister heading Green’s left-wing cross over at the far post.

The visitors responded with a sustained spell of pressure with Craig Hobson and substitute Peter Winn particularly dangerous.

Flitney then had to gather a long-range strike by John Rooney – younger brother of Wayne – at the second attempt before making a crucial stop with his feet to deny Hobson.

But Eastleigh rode the storm and went 2-0 up from the penalty spot just before the hour.

Ben Heneghan conceded the spot kick, bringing down Reason on the left of the area and, cool as you like, FLEETWOOD side-footed it low to the keeper’s left.

Five minutes later the game looked to be as good as over when Eastleigh made it 3-0.

Reason was again involved, sweetly lifting a pass into the path of McALLISTER who coolly found the far corner.

On 70 minutes Hill made a double substitution, putting on Yemi Odubade and Ben Wright for scorers McAllister and Strevens.

With the tempo dropping, the match went into a lull before Chester livened up proceedings with a 78th minute reply.

Winn delivered a cross from the left and McCONVILLE was left with the simplest of far-post finishes.

With tails up, the visitors threatened again when Rooney drove a dangerous, low cross across the six-yard box which narrowly evaded substitute Jamie Menagh on its way.

Menagh threatened again as Rooney drove a long free kick straight into the area, but Flitney was alert to block.

With four minutes of stoppage time announced, Chester set up a grandstand finish by scoring in the third of them.

KINGSLEY JAMES ran at the Spitfires defence and cleverly beat Flitney at his near post.

But thankfully for Eastleigh, it was too little too late for the visitors as the home side held on for a 3-2 win.