EASTLEIGH have made a fifth summer signing, taking 19-year-old George Dowling on loan from Bristol City ahead of the new National League season.
The young midfielder made his first-team debut for City back in April 2016, playing the final 20 minutes of a 4-0 victory over Huddersfield Town.
He has already gained National League experience on loan at Torquay United, making 21 appearances and scoring two goals for The Gulls last term. He also spent time at Weston-super-Mare.
His Eastleigh loan is due to expire on January 6, 2019.
Dowling stepped straight into the Spitfires side for this evening’s pre-season friendly at Basingstoke Town.
It ended 1-1 at the Camrose Ground, halting a run of three straight summer victories for Andy Hessenthaler’s men.
Having fallen behind to a sweet, first-half Charlie Kennedy strike, Eastleigh hit back on the hour when Mark Yeates’ left-wing delivery teed up Ben Williamson to head home.
There was another 1-1 draw at the Simplyhealth City Ground between Winchester City and Steve Claridge's Salisbury.
After a goalless first half, summer signing Pablo Haysham gave Salisbury a 47th-minute lead.
But City were not for folding and hit back 12 minutes later through one of their new arrivals Reece Rusher, a former Salisbury player.
AFC Totton held a 1-0 half-time lead over National League new boys Havant & Waterlooville at the Testwood Stadium before eventually succumbing 2-1.
New Stags signing Stuart Green opened the scoring from the penalty spot after defender Callum Chugg had been brought down and, ironically it was a Havant & Waterlooville player who ensured the Hawks still trailed at the break.
With regular No1 Shane Murphy struggling with injury, Totton borrowed Hawks’ stopper Ben Dudzinski for the evening and he excelled with a string of top-drawer saves that denied several his own teammates, including Nicke Kabamba, Josh Huggins and Theo Lewis.
Former Hartlepool and Lowestoft Town man Dudzinski was finally beaten by a glancing header from one of Havant’s recent signings, Alfie Pavey, on 53 minutes.
A stalemate looked on the cards until the 88th minute when the Hawks beat man-of-the-match Dudzinski with another header, this time by Dan Strugnell.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here