ELATED Eastleigh enjoyed a perfect Saturday - on and off the pitch.

After coming through their FA Trophy assignment 2-1 at Erith & Belvedere, the club hosted a highly successful fund-raising ball, featuring comedian Mike Osman, which raked in over £10,000 towards their planned new stand.

Delighted manager Paul Doswell reported: "It was a fantastic night. Thirteen of our partner sponsors took tables and we raised a lot of money towards the infrastructure of the club."

Having bemoaned the state of many a Dr Martens Eastern Division surface, Eastleigh were able to turn on the style on Erith's adopted pitch at Welling United "What a difference!" said Doswell. "The pitch was fantastic and it was like a proper football stadium there. Our lads thoroughly enjoyed playing on it and at the point when Nicky Banger put us ahead from the penalty spot we were playing some of our best football of the season."

Banger's breakthrough in the 12th minute came after Richard Vercesi had handled Robbie Matthews's header on the line - an offence which got the Deres' skipper red-carded.

But seven minutes later the ten men of Erith retaliated when Ryan Briggs's free-kick took a wicked deflection off Eastleigh's Phil Warner, totally wrong-footing 'keeper Wayne Shaw.

Ex-Saints youngster Sam Carter bagged Eastleigh's winner three minutes into the second half with a divine piece of skill.

Warner found him in the inside right channel and, from the corner of the 18-yard box, he unleashed a venemous strike into the top corner.

"It was a wonder goal, but that's the sort of thing Sam's capable of," smiled Doswell. "We had seven players out on Saturday and, to be honest, I was a bit concerned. But having criticised the squad earlier in the season for defeats at Bashley and VCD Athletic, the players are taking more responsibility now and rewarding me with better performances."