Eastleigh failed to extend their Vanarama Conference four-game winning streak as they were beaten 2-1 by title-chasing Barnet at the Silverlake Stadium today.

Despite a dramatic late push that saw Ben Strevens dispatch a well taken penalty after Jai Reason was fouled and Craig McAllister having a chip cleared off the line, the Spitfires couldn't take anything from the game.

Curtis Weston’s deflected strike on 28 minutes and hot-shot striker John Akinde’s effort moments into the second half was the difference in the end as a brilliant week ended in defeat for Eastleigh.

Richard Hill's men still remain well in the play-off hunt in sixth place after beating Bristol Rovers and Kidderminster this week, but this result allowed the Bees to return to the summit on goal difference after the Gas drew at Halifax.

Barnet owed much to the heroics of Barnet goalkeeper Graham Stack who pulled off a series of marvellous saves to deny the Spitfires, but manager Martin Allen will just be pleased to get their championship charge back on track after a topsy-turvy few weeks.

Eastleigh reinstated Strevens to the starting line-up after being a substitute in the midweek 3-1 win at Kidderminster. Dan Walker was benched in the only Spitfires change.

The Bees made four changes from their 3-1 defeat to Forest Green Rovers last weekend.

Ex-Saint Jack Saville was dropped for former Weymouth centre-back Bondz N’Gala while Sam Togwell, Sam Muggleton and Mauro Vilhete came in for Luisma Villa, Lee Cook and Michael Gash.

With the two sides scoring a staggering 146 goals between them in the Conference, the match promised much in way of attacking entertainment.

And sure enough, the opening ten minutes was thrilling at both ends.

Strevens flashed the first effort of the game narrowly wide two minutes in, after the ball eventually came out to him on the edge of the box from a Reason corner.

Moments later Barnet were attacking as Southend loanee Conor Clifford delivered a corner into full-back Andy Yiadom, whose header was cleared off the line by Dan Spence as it looped towards the back post.

Eastleigh had their best chance of the half as Reason, who has proved very capable from set pieces recently, demonstrated his crossing skills as he found in-form Jack Midson in the box.

Midson, who has scored vital goals against Kidderminster and Bristol Rovers this week, glanced a dangerous header to the left of experienced keeper Stack, who reacted well to steer it out for a corner.

It was a blistering start but chances soon became restricted as the defences shut up shop.

The next goalmouth action on 28 minutes saw Eastleigh conceded in rather unlucky circumstances with captain Weston on target.

Spitfires skipper Dean Beckwith cleared a cross, but it fell to the attacking midfielder, whose 22-yard right foot volley took a horrendous deflection, leaving wrong-footed Eastleigh stopper Ross Flitney helpless as the ball span into the bottom right of the goal.

Eastleigh looked to hit back but Reason struck the wall with a free-kick on the edge of the box and Midson failed to find his strike partner James Constable with an errant cross.

Clifford then zipped in a cross on 37 minutes but John Akinde headed wide from the right of the six yard box.

That was the end of the first-half chances as the travelling Barnet fans went into the break singing “we are top of the league” as news filtered through that Halifax were beating title rivals Bristol Rovers 2-0.

Things went from bad to worse for Eastleigh as the Bees netted their second goal of the afternoon moments into the second period.

As he has done so many times this season the powerful Akinde was on the score-sheet for Barnet.

From the Bees’ first attack of the half, Eastleigh thought the ball had gone out play as Elliot Johnson cut back to the striker on the left of the box.

The 25-year-old shot low into the bottom right of the goal to take his tally to 27 league goals.

The home side went searching for a foothold on the game, but were denied twice by custodian Stack.

First, he saved from Spence’s shot before left-back Michael Green’s deflected 25 yard free-kick was thwarted by the former Arsenal stopper.

Soon after the Spitfires defence was being tested as Yiadom burst into the left of the box and laid off to goal-scorer Weston, whose shot was blocked before Akinde hit the rebound into the number of Eastleigh players guarding on the line.

The home side had a lifeline with 16 minutes left as Strevens dispatched a well taken penalty into the left of the net after Reason was fouled by Muggleton as he entered the box.

The Spitfires were then fully on the hunt for an equaliser.

Manager Richard Hill made three attacking-minded substitutions with Brian Howard, Dan Walker and Craig McAllister all being introduced.

McAllister was in the thick of the action straight away as he pulled another impressive save from Stack as he thundered a header goalwards from a Reason cross.

Soon after McAllister then chipped over onrushing Stack and, as the ball bounced towards goal, former Saints Jack Saville had to be brave to hook the ball clear on the line as he clattered into the post.

Constable then slammed a follow-up shot at goal but Stack was alert again.

Eastleigh: Flitney, Spence, Green, Beckwith (C), Stanley (Walker 69), Constable, Reason, Midson (McAllister 77), Strevens, Partington, Pell (Howard 69). Subs (not used): Evans, Burton.

Attendance: 2,044