THE pace and trickery of Eastleigh loanee Mark
Marshall would have impressed the scouts at
Crawley Town's Broadfield Stadium.
But even the Grays winger had no answer to the speed with which the hosts burst out of the traps.
The Conference outfit were 2-0 up after 12 minutes.
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A poor punch clear by the transferlisted
Jamie Pullen allowed Crawley midfielder Dannie Bulman to convert a left-flank fross from former
Brighton full-back Paul Watson in the seventh minute.
Bulman turned provider five minutes later, when his pass inside Eastleigh captain Andy Harris found Crawley striker Jon-Paul Pittman, who rounded Pullen to score his sixth goal of the season.
Marshall, having scored three goals in the first two appearances of his loan spell, should have converted Eastleigh's best chance of the first
half.
He missed the target in the 21st minute but a thrilling run and cross across the face of goal in the latter stages was the prelude to a much improved second-half performance from Ian Baird's side.
The introduction of Chris Piper and then Matt Hann provided the catalyst but tempers flared in the 54th minute.
Eastleigh left-back Adam Everitt was booked for a foul on Bulman, who appeared to make the most of Everitt's late tackle, in front of the dugouts.
Baird said: "I'm not sure if their player has got his Equity card but was certainly very good at playing up to the referee!"
An altercation folowed between the Eastleigh manager and Steve Evans, the controversial Crawley boss who has already been sent to the stands three times this season.
But Eastleigh responded positively and Hann nearly scored with his first touch in the 65th minute.
Andy Forbes provided the pass but an excellent reaction save by Crawley goalkeeper Ashley Bayes, diving low to his left, kept out the midfielder's effort.
Three minutes later, Forbes began the move that culminated in Eastleigh's goal.
Marshall had switched from the left flank to the right and Forbes put him clear.
Marshall cut inside Watson and his cross was converted by Piper from the edge of the six-yard box to the relief of the visiting fans behind
the goal.
Crawley should have restored their two-goal advantage but centre-back Jamie Stevens put a free header over the bar and a tantalising cross from top scorer Jamie Cook narrowly evaded the outstretched legs of Magno Vieira and Bulman when only the slightest touch was needed.
Eastleigh were not done there.
Roared on by 54 fans who made the trip to Sussex, Eastleigh did their best to get the goal that would have taken Crawley back to the Silverlake Stadium.
Ashen Holgate, another of the four players transfer listed last week, had two shots charged down and Baird was spoken to by referee Simon Beck during a tense last 15 minutes.
A disappointed Baird can at least now focus on Eastleigh's bid to join Crawley in the Conference and took encouragement from his side's second-half performance.
Baird, whose side drew 3-3 with Forest Green Rovers in the FA Cup soon after he arrived in October, said: "We've done well this season against Conference sides but can concentrate
on the league now."
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