EASTLEIGH stretched their unbeaten Vanarama National League run to seven games by drawing 1-1 at home to Wrexham this afternoon – their fourth league stalemate on the bounce.

There was frustration in the Spitfires’ camp that they didn’t turn their many chances into a victory but, ultimately, the afternoon ended with a mighty sigh of relief when the Dragons missed a late penalty.

After a night of heavy rain match referee Constantine Hatzidakis requested a couple of suspect areas on the pitch to be sanded before finally giving the game the go-ahead shortly before 2pm.

But there was still concern as the players were doing their warm-up and a small tractor was on the field as late as 2.45pm patching up the boggy bits.

When the teamsheet arrived, it came minus the name of Eastleigh’s top scorer James Constable who was again rested as a precaution after pulling out of last week’s Boreham Wood game with a tweaked thigh muscle.

Coming on top of Yemi Odubade’s hamstring injury and Ross Lafayette’s loan to Aldershot, it left the Spitfires short of strikers.

Jack Midson was again deployed up top in a relatively young line-up containing new ‘record’ signing Luke Coulson, signed for an undisclosed fee from Oxford City.

The highly-rated 21-year-old started wide right and, within seconds, had delivered a decent low cross towards Midson at the near post.

Two minutes later Josh Payne volleyed an effort over with the outside of his boot from Jai Reason’s lay-off.

Spitfires’ keeper Ross Flitney produced the first save of the afternoon, turning away Connor Jennings’ low drilled shot, but the linesman’s flag had already been raised in any case.

After a relatively low-key start, the game was lit up in spectacular style by Eastleigh midfielder ANDY DRURY who gave the hosts a tenth-minute lead with a goal straight out of the top drawer.

Made captain in the absence of the injured Paul Reid and sub Ben Strevens, he gathered in Joe Partington’s short throw on the right, turned, scampered inside and unleashed a left-foot beauty into the far top corner from all of 25 yards.

That strike was matched by some delightful attacking football from the Spitfires who felt hard done by when Kaid Mohamed looked to be blocked off inside the area as he raced onto Midson's return pass.

But, just when Eastleigh were getting well on top, Wrexham pegged them back with an 18th-minute sucker punch.

The ball took an unfortunate bounce off right-back Partington into the path of SEAN NEWTON who, without hesitation, fired straight through Flitney’s legs for 1-1.

Eastleigh briefly lost their way, but soon got their mojo back with Wrexham’s Jevan Vidal doing well to deal with Kaid Mohamed’s dangerous cross from the right before Dragons keeper Rhys Taylor brilliantly kept out Payne’s fearsome strike from the edge of the box.

Mohamed’s follow-up was scrambled clear by the visitors who were then undone by Partington’s right-wing cross, but Drury’s header was straight at the keeper.

The buccaneering Partington was soon bursting forward again but this time Mohamed couldn’t keep his shot down from Drury’s lay-off.

Half-time: Eastleigh 1 Wrexham 1

Partington failed to reappear for the second half, troubled by a quad injury, and was replaced by Strevens. It allowed manager Chris Todd to take a look at new signing Coulson in his familiar right-back role.

Reason tested Taylor with a couple of early corners, one tipped over and the other punched clear by the Dragons keeper.

Generally, though, the game was becoming littered with fouls and stoppages and there was one slight scare for Eastleigh when goalscorer Newton lashed a shot into the side netting from an acute angle with 54 minutes gone.

When the Spitfires were finally allowed to play some football, Drury twice threatened – first forcing Taylor to claw behind his shot for a corner and then chipping one over the bar.

The blue shirts kept pressing and, on 66 minutes, Fyfield managed to throw his body in front of Reason’s strike and Midson’s follow-up drifted over.

The Dragons’ muscular defender Fyfield, already booked, got another ticking off from the ref for bringing down Midson on the halfway line as the home fans bayed for a red card.

Lee Cook replaced Mohamed on 77 minutes and, within a matter of seconds, it looked as if fellow sub Strevens would score. Will Evans picked out Reason inside the area and he squared to Strevens who was denied by some more strong, last-ditch defending from that man Fyfield as he shaped to shoot.

With three minutes remaining there was almost a catastrophic ending for Eastleigh when Evans was penalised for pulling down sub Wes York at the expense of a penalty following a mix-up with Flitney.

But the visiting fans in the Mackoy Community Stand were soon silenced when Wrexham skipper Connor Jennings fired against the crossbar and out for a goal kick.

That riled the visitors who threw everything at Eastleigh in the three minutes of added time, but the Spitfires held strong to collect a point that keeps them fourth in the table.

Full-time: Eastleigh 1 Wrexham 1

Eastleigh: Ross Flitney, Joe Partington (Ben Strevens, 46), Dan Harding, Josh Payne, Will Evans, Jamie Turley, Andy Drury, Jai Reason. Jack Midson, Kaid Mohamed (Lee Cook, 77), Luke Coulson. Subs  (not used): Michael Green, Ollie Griggs, Michael Poke.

Wrexham: Rhys Taylor, Jevan Vidal, Sean Newton, Emanuel Smith, Blaine Hudson, Jamal Fyfield, Connor Jennings, James Gray (Kayden Jackson, 81), Rob Evans, Simon Heslop, Mark Beck (Wes York, 81). Subs (not used): Lee Fowler, Dominic Vose, Louis Briscoe.

Referee: Constantine Hatzidakis

Attendance: 1,904