EASTLEIGH 1 GATESHEAD 2

EASTLEIGH suffered their first home defeat of the Vanarama National League campaign, beaten 2-1 by Gateshead in controversial circumstances at the Silverlake Stadium this afternoon.

The first half was a bizarre 45 minutes of football and one that will live long in the memory of Richard Hill - who was supposed to be ‘celebrating’ his third anniversary at the club – for all the wrong reasons.

A couple of debatable refereeing decisions went against Eastleigh early on with Ben Strevens denied a penalty and James Constable unluckily pulled up for a foul when he appeared to have got the better of Heed skipper/centre-back Ben Clark.

Then, with 20 minutes gone, the home side fell behind out of the blue following confusion between defender Jamie Turley and goalkeeper Michael Poke.

As Poke came out to try and address the situation, he and Gateshead forward Danny Johnson collided, but not before the visitors’ No20 had managed to lift a shot goalwards and in off the far post.

During a five-minute delay Poke needed treatment for a shoulder problem and the injured goalscorer was eventually stretchered off.

While play was stopped, Eastleigh’s ex-Saints left-back Dan Harding, who had missed training with a bug, made way for crowd favourite Michael Green.

There was more disappointment for the Spitfires on the half-hour when Jai Reason was denied by a goalline clearance and the post – but that had nothing on the frustration to come.

With Poke still in pain, he signalled to the bench that he wanted to come off.

Eastleigh had young understudy Lewis Noice readied on the touchline but were unable to get him on before Gateshead made it 2-0 on 34 minutes.

Matty Pattison swung in a hopeful cross from the left which took a fortunate deflection and, with the injured Poke unable to reach it, it sailed into the far, top corner.

Two freakish goals had clearly unsettled Eastleigh but, during seven minutes of stoppage time, Strevens had a belting volley stopped on the line by ’keeper Sam Russell.

In the midst of all this, the Red Arrows made a fly-past in Spitfires' territory and just, prior to half-time, part of the goal net collapsed at Gateshead end.

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse for Eastleigh, it did. Following an altercation in the tunnel, experienced midfielder Strevens was red-carded on his way to the half-time dressing room, forcing the Spitfires to soldier on with ten men.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, Hill's men began the second half positively with Reason testing Russell from 18 yards and Midson driving a fierce, low effort straight at the keeper.

But they had plenty of pressure to soak up in between with young Noice saving well with his feet from sub Rob Ramshaw.

All the time it remained 2-0, there was some hope for Eastleigh but, when Constable’s chance came, he skied over from Yemi Odubade’s clever assist.

But the ten men kept coming and this eventful game took another twist on 78 minutes when the home side pulled a goal back.

The 3,264 crowd were not amused when Heed defender James Curtis was shown just a yellow card for crudely cutting short Odubade’s run at goal.

But Gateshead made a hash of clearing in the aftermath of Josh Payne’s free kick and the ball came out to Joe Partington. He drove it goalwards from the edge of the area and it was diverted past the 'keeper off the body of Simon Ramsden, who thumped the ground in frustration.

Despite a rousing finale, Eastleigh - beaten last week at Barrow - couldn't muster an equaliser as they fell to two successive league defeats for the first time in two and a half years.

The Spitfires are down to sixth, ten points adrift of buoyant league leaders Forest Green Rovers who reeled off a ninth straight win.