Ruthless Eastleigh ended Altrincham’s 10-game unbeaten run via Scott Quigley and Paul McCallum getting on the scoresheet as the Spitfires earn their first win in four National League outings.
The first chance of the game came to Chris Conn-Clarke, of Altrincham, as he lashed a shot towards the Spitfires goal, from the byline, but his effort crashed into the side netting with only minutes on the clock.
The visitors had their second chance of the game through their same danger man, Conn Clarke, after some slick passing opened up the Eastleigh defence before forcing Joe McDonnell into a sharp reflex save.
Against the run of play, Eastleigh opened the scoring with a high quality counter attack, Chris Maguire got hold of the loose ball and drove up the left side of the pitch and whipped a cross in.
McCallum was his target, the striker won the ball with a towering header and knocked it back to his forward partner, Quigley, who took one touch and powered his effort low and hard into the corner.
Since moving to the South Coast, Maguire has shown the Spitfires his quality and it is clear every time he steps onto the field pulling on the blue and white shirt.
His lofted ball nearly caught out the scrambling defender and almost landed on McCallum’s head but was put out for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, George Langston thumped the ball home from yards out but the roar of the crowd was soon silenced as a result of the offside flag being raised.
Moments later, McDonnell had to be alert as Alex Newby’s sweeping shot from 15-yards out could have evaded the Spitfires number one.
Captain Jake Taylor looked in disbelief as his effort from the edge of the area was bravely cleared off the line as Eastleigh looked to turn the screw.
Minutes later, the screw was firmly halted as Eastleigh’s playmaker, Maguire, pulled up and forced Richard Hill into an early change as Jayden Harris replaced the veteran.
Lewis Baines wasted a glorious chance for Altrincham as he headed over from yards out with the goal at his mercy.
The last action of the half was Conn-Clarke whipping a thunderous free-kick, from 20-yards out, which just whistled over the top of McDonnell’s goal.
The first chance of the second period came to McCallum as the ball darted through a crowded penalty area from a corner, the striker reacted as best as he could but headed over.
A pulsating two minutes occurred after this chance.
Taylor has his volley brilliantly saved, as it was destined to loop over Ethan Ross, but the goalkeeper got a firm hand to the ball whilst scrambling backwards.
Moments laters, Newby was through as Rutherford made a mistake at the back and laid it off to Conn-Clarke, who will wriggle in his sleep tonight as he hammered the post with only McDonnell to beat.
Altrincham were not going down without a fight and had a bit between their teeth as they pushed fiercely to get back on level terms.
Dior Angus then poked at the ball goal wards that was superbly blocked by George Langston, hit the post and then trickled out of play for an away corner.
Since the interval, the visitors were camped in the Eastleigh’s half, keeping the ball and putting the Spitfires’ defence under immense pressure.
Altrincham got their deserved reward, 65 minutes in, as Langston brought down Angus with a lunge which Conn-Clarke cooly converted, with a hop and a skip whilst sending McDonnell the wrong way.
Hill decided a change was needed as Aidan Barlow replaced Taylor in the middle of the park as he is a better attacking option.
Maguire’s absence in the game was evident as there was no spark in the middle of the pitch to create chances for the forward line.
When the visitors attacked, they did it was serious speed and precision but the Eastleigh back line stood firm to their advances with solid tackling and great discipline.
Barlow buzzed around the pitch when introduced and his deflected shot nearly caught out Ross which rose high into the dark Hampshire sky and just looped over the crossbar.
You could feel the tense atmosphere in the stadium as the football match turned into a boxing bout with each team fighting into the dying moments.
Eastleigh were limited to golden chances this afternoon but when they did get them, they were clinical.
Quigley burst through the heart of the Altrincham defence as he worked an opening for himself, he returned the favour to his strike partner as he unselfishly picked out McCallum in the penalty area.
Eastleigh’s number nine proved he had ice in his veins as a sliding challenge and the out rushing goalkeeper didn’t faze him as he slotted it past Ross to send the fans in the Silverlake into pandemonium.
The Spitfires held the visitors at arms length and got a crucial three points in the National League campaign which left the home fans buzzing and built confidence for their FA Cup game against Reading.
