EASTLEIGH new boy Ben Williamson scored his first goal for the club as the Spitfires beat Paul Doswell’s Sutton United at the Silverlake Stadium last night.

Sutton were the better side early on and were denied the opening goal by Graham Stack, who saved when Craig Eastmond fired goalwards from a tight angle.

A minute later, Andrew Boyce’s goalline clearance kept out Kieron Cadagan’s shot.

Eastleigh grew in confidence as the first half progressed and at the beginning of the second Paul McCallum chested a long ball before volleying goalwards without testing the Sutton goalkeeper.

Boyce continued a good night with an excellent challenge on Moses Emmanuel who looked to be in on goal.

New signing Williamson was denied by a good save when he attempted to round the goalkeeper after collecting Stack’s long ball.

Four minutes later, the new signing put Eastleigh ahead.

Following a great run and shot from Mark Yeates, the goalkeeper’s save rebounded kindly to the former Cambridge United striker, who made no mistake.

Yeates was unfortunate not to double the Spitfires lead in the 75th minute, when he fired just wide.

Spitfires substitute James Constable hit the crossbar in the 88th minute, but the solitary goal was enough for the Spitfires to clinch their first win of the season, following Saturday’s stalemate.

Manager Richard Hill said: “The first half wasn’t good enough and I let them know that at half-time. 

“We rode our luck at the start of the second half but what I liked was the lads’ commitment, attitude and endeavour. 

“After we went 1-0 up they found an over-my-dead-body attitude which is important in this league.

“But on another night we could have been beaten comfortably, which is typical of this league.”

Eastleigh’s performance, and the support from a crowd of 1,744, made the second half much more satisfactory. 

“It’s a great atmosphere here for the night games when the fans come out and support the team,” continued Hill.

“But sometimes you have to give the supporters something to shout about and we didn’t do that in the first half.

 “We showed far more energy and urgency in the second half and our supporters got right behind us in the last 30 minutes.”
 

EASTLEIGH: Stack, Hoyte, Green, Togwell, Johnson, Wood (Constable 81), McCallum (Zebroski 70), Yeates, Hollands, Boyce, Williamson (McAllister 70).
Subs not used: Stearn, Matthews.