MATT Le Tissier and Francis Benali have given Eastleigh’s new pitch an emphatic thumbs up.

The pair were among the first players to grace the Silverlake surface, turning out for a Saints Legends side in a charity match to raise funds for the Royal British Legion.

The official baptism should have been on Saturday when AFC Wimbledon were due to play the Spitfires in a pre-season friendly.

But the League One outfit pulled out due to concerns about the safety of their players on the newly-laid surface.

Following an inspection, the charity game was given the go-ahead and the pitch got the seal of approval from the ex-Saints.

Le Tissier, who scored in the 5-2 defeat against a largely younger, fitter Royal Navy select side on a blazing hot afternoon, tweeted: “Lovely day @EastleighFC raising funds for Royal British Legion. Well played the navy lads. Pitch held up well too.”

Benali agreed: “A great day at @EastleighFC playing with Ex Saints v Royal Navy. Raising funds for @PoppyLegion Pitch was fine too.”

Wayne ‘The Pie Man’ Shaw, who had also featured in a penalty shootout during the club’s family fun day, tweeted: “Great day Great Weather Great Fun Lots raised for charity and the Pitch was Perfect.”

Eastleigh have yet to finalise how much the charity match raised but, with a crowd of 500-600 braving the soaring temperatures, it was a fine way to salute the Royal British Legion and mark the 100th anniversary of The Battle of Passchendaele.

With the agreement of the players, the referee stopped the game on six minutes and a minute’s applause was held for brave, young Sunderland fan Bradley Lowery who sadly lost his fight against cancer, aged just six.

Eastleigh’s head of community Gazz Davison said: “It was a great day. Everyone enjoyed themselves.

“The main aim of the match was to remember those from the Battle of Passchendaele.

“It was a slow game and I think the Navy lads took it easy, but it was played in great spirit.”