EASTLEIGH'S revival was blunted at the first time of asking as Chris Todd’s ten-man team slumped to a 2-0 defeat at Braintree this afternoon.

Simeon Akinola scored either side of half-time to seal victory for the Spitfires’ fellow play-off hopefuls, writes Paul McNamara.

Todd’s side had Jamie Turley dismissed for two yellow cards on 48 minutes, with the Iron's Matt Fry following suit with ten minutes to play.

After ending an eight-match Vanarama National League winless streak with victory over league leaders Cheltenham in midweek, this sobering loss leaves Eastleigh in tenth, seven points off the top five.

An attritional opening was notable only for the bookings of Turley and Fry, the former going through the back of Akinola, the latter upending Luke Coulson.

The game’s first opportunity arrived on the quarter-hour mark when James Constable met Jai Reason’s cross from the right with a header that flashed into the gloves of Tom King.

Ross Flitney was equal to Chez Isaac’s optimistic strike from distance for the home side, but when Braintree finally fashioned a clear opening it was fatal for the Spitfires.

There seemed little on when Akinola collected the ball on the left byline. But the skilful Iron winger wriggled his way free of Joe Partington to jink into the area and drill an effort that went through Eastleigh ‘keeper Flitney and into the net.

The visitors quickly went in search of a reply. Matt Tubbs teed up Constable, whose fierce half-volley was beaten away by home stopper King, diving away to his right.

The ubiquitous Chez Isaac then had an inswung corner from the left clip the top of the bar while, on the stroke of the break, Sean Marks’ penalty appeals were waved away after the forward went over the smothering Flitney.

The second half was only three minutes old when Turley’s earlier indiscretion came back to haunt him.

The centre-back mistimed a tackle on dangerman Akinola, resulting in an inevitable second yellow for the Eastleigh man.

Akinola soon pounced on Partington’s loose clearance to tear forward, leaving Paul Reid in his slipstream before sending a shot skipping a yard past the left post.

Eastleigh had a huge let-off when a terrific Akinola reverse pass played in Sam Habergham. The left-back’s cross deflected off Partington and a fraction wide of the far post.

Soon after Constable could only shoot straight at King when Mark Phillips’ weak header on substitute Josh Payne’s cross landed at the visiting striker’s feet.

Yemi Odubade, on for Tubbs, then saw a close-range shot on the turn deflect decisively off Fry on its way over King’s bar.

Fry then went the same way as Turley. Sub Will Evans won the ball with a meaty challenge on Alex Woodyard, before continuing his run to collect possession, only to be grounded by Fry’s reckless intervention.

It was, however, effectively 10 v 9, with hobbling Spitfires’ midfielder Andy Drury a passenger – and ultimately withdrawn.

Akinola’s second arrived when a high-ball from the right caused incomprehensible confusion in the Eastleigh box. And as Coulson and Flitney became embroiled in a mix-up, the lethal Braintree man pounced to finish low into the net.