FOR the second time in as many seasons, Eastleigh are in the FA Cup third round.

The Spitfires will play Championship outfit Brentford, one of manager Martin Allen’s former clubs, at Griffin Park next month after first-half goals from Scott Wilson and Mikael Mandron ensured a 2-0 win at FC Halifax Town last night.

After letting a 3-1 lead slip at the Silverlake Stadium nine days earlier, the feeling was that Halifax had missed their opportunity.

That is the way it proved as Eastleigh, refreshed after a week off for the first-teamers, eased to victory against the Conference North outfit thanks to Wilson and Mandron’s goals just before half-time.

Allen’s first win as Eastleigh’s manager came after he made one change to the side that drew the first tie 3-3 at the Silverlake Stadium nine days ago.

Wilson, who made such a positive impact in the Spitfires’ comeback as a substitute, came in for the injured Jason Taylor, as a third forward alongside Mandron and Constable.

Teenage goalkeeper Ryan Huddart was excellent once again. He was called into action for the first time in the tenth minute, when he clawed away a cross from the left.

With rain teeming down, the Arsenal loanee elected to punch clear another Halifax corner during a bright opening 15 minutes for the home side.

Left-winger Luke Coulson threatened for the first time when he cut inside Halifax right-back Cliff Moyo before curling beyond the far post.

But it was Halifax who had the first shot on target. Matt Kosylo escaped down the right and got his shot away as Johnson and Green desperately tried to block it.

Huddart, diving low to his left, did very well to keep it out in the 19th minute.

Joe Partington, playing in midfield for the second time following his impressive showing in the first tie, did well to win the ball and find Mandron, who was soon penalised as he attempted to wriggle free in the penalty area.

Partington then hit the post from the edge of the area, a first-time shot against the base of the upright following an electric counter attack instigated by Mandron.

Moments later, Partington was booked for a foul just inside the Halifax half as the home side attempted to break.

The challenge put Halifax’s Jordan Sinnott out of the game. Sinnott was Halifax’s most dangerous player at the Silverlake but Partington’s challenge meant he had to be carried off after a few minutes’ treatment.

Green linked well with Coulson before crossing for Wilson, who was denied by the Halifax rearguard.

Constable had a cross cleared by a sliding Halifax defender before providing the assist for the44th-minute opening goal.

Following Partington’s pass, Constable was allowed to cross unchallenged from the right flank and the unmarked Wilson gobbled the opportunity from inside the six-yard box.

Wilson’s third Eastleigh goal was soon followed by Mandron’s 17th.

In the second minute of first-half injury time, Coulson burst into the area, where he was deemed to have been brought down by referee Richard Clark.

It was a decision that infuriated the home faithful, who were adamant that substitute Macdonald had played the ball. They may well have had a point, but Mandron kept a cool head.

He duly sent Drench the wrong way, sidefooting into the bottom right corner with his left foot, as the Halifax fans vented their spleens.

Clark was booed off unceremoniously after Pipe headed clear and Green dealt with another long throw from the left.

The first FA Cup tie between these sides showed how dangerous two-goal leads can be and, with that in mind, Halifax went close at the start of the second half.

David Pipe’s goalline clearance was followed by vehement appeals for handball in the penalty area but more wrath was sent in Clark’s direction as he signalled a corner.

Johnson’s diving header was needed to deny Tom Denton, Halifax’s Goliath-like forward, a gilt-edged opportunity.

The otherwise exemplary Huddart spilt a cross from the right, his only mistake of the evening, as rain continued to fall.

When Halifax were presented with a chance, their captain Liam King hit it tamely straight at the Arsenal loanee.

Eastleigh played with a five-man midfield for the last half-hour. Allen brought off Wilson and Mandron and played with Ryan Bird as a solitary striker, with defender Adam Dugdale providing ballast to the midfield in what was his first Eastleigh appearance in more than two months.

When Ayo Obileye came on, Eastleigh had seven defenders on the pitch.

Dugdale was soon booked and tempers really flared in the last ten minutes, with Halifax defender Scott Garner was sent off following an off-the-ball incident that saw Jai Reason go to ground.

A goal-line clearance denied Partington the chance to cap a fine display with a goal and Bird had a shot deflected behind before Constable missed with only the keeper to beat.

Drench dived to his right to keep out Constable’s sidefooted shot, but by that stage it was hard to see another comeback from two goals down.

Especially when Huddart dived low to keep out a header from 6ft 7in Denton.

Eastleigh:Huddart, Pipe, Johnson, Essam, Green, Reason, Partington, Coulson Obileye 76), Wilson (Dugdale 61), Mandron (Bird 58), Constable.
Subs not used: Whittington (GK), Bearwish

FC Halifax Town: Drench, Moyo, Wilde, King (Hibbs), Hotte, Garner, Kosylo (Simmons 61), Lynch Denton, Sinnott (Macdonald 32), Peniket.
Subs unused: Nicholson, Hone, Khan, Barrows.

Attendance: 1,539 (76 Eastleigh)