EASTLEIGH overcame the 48th-minute dismissal of midfielder Josh Payne to pick up their first ever point against bogey side Grimsby Town at Blundell Park this afternoon.

Goalkeeper Ross Flitney produced an outstanding display of defiance as the ten-man Spitfires came away from Humberside with a gutsy 0-0 draw, extending their unbeaten Vanarama National League run to seven games.

Chris Todd’s play-off chasers remain seventh, but are now four points shy of fifth spot following Tranmere’s 1-0 win at Torquay.

With Flitney and centre-back Jamie Turley pillars of strength, Eastleigh withstood the best Grimsby could throw at them in the first half.

After Flitney had dealt with an early Padraig Amond header, it was the Spitfires who forced the first corner on seven minutes when Matt Tubbs’ volley deflected wide off Aristote Nsiala.

Grimsby’s James McKeown saved Ben Stevens’ left-footer at the second attempt with Tubbs in close attendance, but that was followed by a wave of Mariners pressure which brought the very best out of Flitney.

First the busy Spitfires ’keeper dived to his left to deny Omar Bogle and then, having turned Craig Disley’s volley away one-handed, the Eastleigh No1 thwarted Amond on the rebound.

As the Mariners upped the ante, they forced two quick corners with Nsiala’s header blocked from the first and then the impeccable Flitney dealing with Nathan Arnold’s rasping 20-yarder.

Having weathered that storm, Eastleigh hit back with a couple of half-chances - James Constable’s blocked shot going wide off Turley and Andy Drury testing McKeown with a 35-yarder.

For the Mariners, Amond ruffled the side netting from a tight angle and, on the stroke of half-time, Bogle’s left-foot strike was straight at Flitney.

Having given themselves a base to build on in the first half, the Spitfires were dealt a hammer blow just three minutes into the second when they were reduced to ten men.

A melee broke out following Josh Payne’s challenge on Richard Tait and the temperature rose further when referee Michael Salisbury brandished the red card to the Eastleigh midfielder. Drury and Nsiala were booked in the messy aftermath.

Bogle nodded inches over for Grimsby after Disley had flicked on Jon Nolan’s set-piece, but ten-man Eastleigh dug in and it wasn’t until the 74th-minute that the Mariners came strong again, forcing their 13th corner of the game from which Tait sent a fiercely struck volley wide.

A minute later Nolan had the game’s clearest chance from eight yards, but was brilliantly denied point-blank by the outstanding Flitney, having one of his best games in a Spitfires shirt.

Eastleigh responded positively with Yemi Odubade, on for Tubbs, using his strength to get past Nsiala but the pacy forward was unable to beat McKeown.

Grimsby threw the kitchen sink at the Hampshire visitors late on, taking their corner count to 16, but Eastleigh held strong to end a run of five straight defeats against their VNL bogey team.

Next up for the Spitfires is Tuesday’s free entry game against Barrow at the Silverlake (7.45pm).

*Ex-Eastleigh hotshot Andy Forbes scored his first comeback goal for play-off chasers Winchester City in a 1-1 draw at Bishops Cleeve in the Southern One South & West. AFC Totton lost 3-0 at league leaders Banbury United.