If it wasn’t for two world-class Nathan Arnold goals Eastleigh would have taken a one goal advantage into the Vanarama Conference play-off semi-final second-leg at Blundell Park on Sunday against Grimsby Town.

Arnold, though, who had scored just four goals all term on loan from Cambridge United, clearly is a man for the big occasion.

It was obvious the 27-year-old was going to be the star of the show when, just two minutes in, he fired in a superb half-volley from 25-yards out, which left Spitfires goalkeeper Ross Flitney helpless as it glided inches away from his grasp.

Substitute Yemi Odubade tried his best to give Eastleigh a foothold going into Sunday’s decider (3.30pm) just two minutes into his return from a loan spell at Woking, making it 1-1 just past the hour.

But Arnold’s second top-draw strike of the night on 71 minutes gave Grimsby a 2-1 advantage in the push for Wembley and consigned Eastleigh to their first defeat in four televised matches this season.

There’s nothing embarrassing to go down to two absolute top-drawer goals, but the Spitfires certainly have an uphill task if they are fulfil their Football League dream in their first season in the Conference.

Despite arriving late due to traffic chaos in the local area, Grimsby didn’t reflect a side that had little preparation time.

They came out of the blocks at lightning pace.

The Mariners could have been 3-0 up with just ten minutes gone, but former Havant & Waterlooville striker Ollie Palmer, who netted against the Spitfires home and away already this term, didn’t find his killer touch on this occasion as he slammed against the post from close range. Arnold could have got a quickfire double, but he could only find the side netting.

The whole affair got really gritty and ill-tempered as the Spitfires tried to gather themselves after conceding so early on.

Grimsby keeper James McKeown personified that ill-temperedness when he shoved over Jai Reason as the home attacker pestered him for the ball.

Ben Strevens also participated in that ill-behaviour when he picked up a booking for a foul on Craig Disley.

The Spitfires, though, did start to create some attacks.

They went close through Joe Partington’s shot inside the box after McKeown had missed a punch from a corner, but his effort went over the bar.

Reason meanwhile also had an effort on goal but he couldn’t untangle his legs in time to get a decent shot away.

Jack Midson then worked McKeown for the last action of the first half as he hit low into the stopper.

But, in an otherwise ugly half, the real moment of beauty was Arnold’s opener just two minutes in.

From a long ball forward Eastleigh centre-back Jamie Turley could only head away into the onrushing winger who, with cheeky touch with his knee, powered away from Craig Stanley and slammed gloriously into the net.

The second-half saw little of interest until Odubade’s divine intervention on 59 minutes.

The 30-year-old winger was instantly productive as he won a free-kick 30 yards out, which Jai Reason curled to the back-post.

A combination of Aristote Nsiala and James Constable then saw the ball flash across the face of goal, where Odubade pounced on the loose ball to head home from close range.

He had the Silverlake Stadium bouncing and went close to putting his side ahead with a rasping shot that deflected narrowly wide of the right post moments later.

However, the parity lasted little more than ten minutes as Arnold latched onto a long ball that had been headed down by Lenell John-Lewis.

Again taking a touch off his knee, he burst away to the side of Partington, who looked on helplessly, as the ball arrowed into the top left of the net.

Eastleigh searched in vain for an equaliser but in the end only Flitney’s heroics denied Grimsby extending their lead further.