SAINTS gave most of their senior players the night off and left it largely to the youngsters to finish off the club’s pre-season campaign at Eastleigh last night.

And a number of them grabbed their opportunity to impress against their non-league neighbours at the Silverlake Stadium.

Both sets of fans arrived hoping that Saints may give one last run out to some of their big hitters before the big League One kick-off.

But it instead it was the names of youngsters such as teenager Lloyd Isgrove that were probably on their lips as they headed for home.

The livewire left-winger, a 17-year-old second year scholar, was the star of the show for Saints, who were led by under- 21 coach Martin Hunter while manager Alan Pardew looked on from the stands.

Isgrove combined with match-winner Sam Hoskins, 17, and Ryan Doble, 19, to form an impressive attacking trio whose pace, skill and movement was often too much for their hosts, especially in the first half.

And the teenage trio's displays were the highlight of an encouraging performance that confirmed Saints have a number of youngsters on the books whose progress will certainly be worth following.

For their part, Eastleigh, as they so often do in this now traditional pre- season fixture, gave a good account of themselves, especially after the break by which point they had started to get to grips with the challenge Saints presented.

With a number of his first-teamers carrying niggles and knocks and the League One curtain-raiser against Plymouth just days away, it was perhaps not the biggest surprise that Saints opted to field a youthful side.

The first-teamers not included were instead reduced to the role of spectators at the Silverlake Stadium.

That was no doubt much to the disappointment of Eastleigh and their fans.

But the inclusion of their home-grown hero Aaron Martin would certainly have pleased them.

Eastleigh academy product Martin, who completed a dream move to St Mary’s last season, fittingly captained the Saints side on his return to the Silverlake Stadium.

And the towering defender was another stand-out Saint, marshalling the visitors' backline confidently as they kept Eastleigh at bay for most of the game.

Eastleigh boss Ian Baird gave starts to all five of his summer signings – Gareth Barfoot, Chris Holland, Stafforde Palmer, Jamie Slabber and Richard Graham – and also had trialist Toby Osman, son of former Saints defender Russell Osman, on the bench.

The hosts had the better of a highly competitive opening period, going close early on through Tom Jordan and Richard Gillespie headers from Richard Graham free-kicks.

Isgrove replied with Saints’ first effort, a long-range drive that flew over.

Eastleigh were inches away from going in front in the 16th minute when Gillespie headed Palmer’s cross against the bar.

Saints then came close to taking the lead from the resulting counter-attack.

Doble and Isgrove combined to set-up Hoskins, whose low drive was kept out at full stretch by Barfoot, and gathered at the second attempt before Anthony Pulis could pounce.

Doble and Hoskins then linked up to give Saints the lead in the 19th minute.

Doble held up the ball on the edge of the Eastleigh box and slipped in his strike-partner Hoskins, who burst into the box and held off a late challenge from Jordan before finishing coolly underneath Barfoot.

Saints almost doubled their lead two minutes later.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s corner was knocked back into the danger area by Hoskins but Doble was denied from close range.

Isgrove tormented Danny Smith at times during the first half and, after beating the Spitfires’ right-back once again, his cross set-up Saints’ next chance on 31 minutes.

The ball eventually fell to Hoskins but his snapshot deflected over.

Isgrove then set up Andy Robinson who fired well over before Slabber, who had been kept quiet by Martin, headed the final chance of the half over from Graham’s cross.

Isgrove continued where he left off in the first half, cutting in dangerously off the left flank and firing in a fierce drive that was tipped over by substitute keeper Jason Matthews.

Eastleigh were dealing with Saints’ threat noticeably better in the second half but were getting little change out of Martin and his centre-back partner Ryan Tafazolli.

Saints had a chance to double their lead in the 67th minute.

Such was Saints’ confidence that Jack Saville strode forward from right-back and played a one-two with Doble, but he scuffed his shot straight at Matthews.

Doble did the same soon after following good work down the right from Hoskins.

Eastleigh finished the game strongly, creating a number of decent chances from which they should have drawn level.

Jamie Brown met Graham’s corner with a thumping near post header that was parried clear by Bartosz Bialkowski.

Brown then lashed Graham’s corner over and, after Saints substitute Tony Garrod was denied by Matthews when he went through one-one-one, Brown then had a fiercely struck goal-bound effort blocked but Saints held on for the win.

Attention now turns back to Saints’ seniors and the start of their League One promotion bid this weekend.