MARTIN Allen was hoping fans would feel the love for his new-look Eastleigh side on Valentine’s Night, but two ‘Cheeky’ goals turned out to be a real passion-killer.

Brace man Michael Cheek sent lowly Braintree Town home 2-0 victors, leaving a 1,702 crowd desperately disappointed and the Spitfires still seeking their first home win since way back in late October.

With Saturday’s scorer James Constable named on the bench and Darius Henderson injured, experienced midfielder Ben Strevens was tasked with supporting striker Scott Wilson up top.

The first 15 minutes went by without Eastleigh landing a single punch on their opponents and, if anything, Braintree looked the likelier to score.

A purposeful run and cross by lively right-back Hakeem Odoffin briefly lifted the mood, but not enough for Allen’s liking as he bellowed out to his side to speed things up.

The Spitfires duly ramped up the pressure – Strevens going closest with a ‘goal’ scrubbed out for offside.

But Braintree looked ominously dangerous and, after Michael Cheek had lashed one chance horribly wide in a one-on-one with Graham Stack, he plunged the sorry Spitfires into 28th-minute arrears.

Sean Clohessy picked out his man with a precision cross from the right and Cheek obliged with a far-post header for 1-0.

Three minutes later Eastleigh’s defensive titan Reda Johnson - just back from hamstring problems - exited to be replaced by Ayo Obileye.

The Spitfires should have equalised when a lightning break involving Odoffin and Wilson put Tyler Garratt in on goal, but the on-loan Doncaster Rovers youngster shot straight at underworked ’keeper Sam Beasant.

Braintree it was who finished the half the stronger with Stack’s desperate double save from Reece Hall-Johnson warding off further damage.

The second half was just seven minutes old when Constable replaced Pompey loanee Ben Close and finally Beasant was seriously tested by the No9’s thumping, low blast.

Allen’s third and final sub Sam Muggleton soon made his presence felt with a trademark long throw. Obileye met it with a booming header forward to Wilson, but the striker volleyed wide across goal.

The orange-clad visitors had barely threatened in the second half but, against the run of play, they doubled their lead with 15 minutes to go to dump misery upon misery for Eastleigh.

Jerome Okimo’s delivery from the left made it all the way across the area where Cheek was waiting to thump it back past Stack into the far corner.

Allen professed himself "shocked" by what he'd witnessed coming, as it did, just three days after a promising showing in the 1-1 draw at Guiseley.

"It was a very disappointing performance and I was surprised especially as the players had given such a good account of themselves at Guiseley," he said.

"I was shocked really. In the first 15 to 20 minutes we could have been three or four goals down."

There was a smattering of boos as the players trudged off the pitch at the end of a sobering 90 minutes but, on the whole, Allen felt the fans were supportive.

"The home crowd, I felt, were very patient and positive towards the team," he said.

"We wanted to give the paying public a good performance, but it wasn't good for them tonight.

"The players have done well in their training and their work off the field and I do believe, 100 per cent, that they don't leave home purposely to play poorly.

"I need to help them, look after them and support them as best I can to get the best performance out of them."

Eastleigh: Graham Stack, Chinua Cole, Hakeem Odoffin, Ben Strevens, Adam Dugdale, Reda Johnson (Ayo Obileye, 31), Tyler Garratt, (Sam Muggleton, 62), Sam Togwell, Scott Wilson, Ben Close (James Constable, 52), Mekhi Leacock-McLeod. Subs (not used): Ross Stearn, Tom Bearwish.

Referee: Adrian Quelch.

Attendance: 1,702.