Eastleigh 0 Leyton Orient 0.

EASTLEIGH played out their second successive goalless draw at the Silverlake Stadium against Leyton Orient this afternoon.

The Spitfires, playing their first match in three weather-beaten weeks, brought back Mark Yeates and ex-Orient striker Paul McCallum into their starting line-up, while Chris Zebroski and Sam Matthews dropped to the bench.

Since the Spitfires last played – a dull 0-0 home stalemate with Halifax – the Os had squeezed in four games in league and Trophy but, like the Eastleigh, they had gone five without a win.

The game started scrappily on a bitterly cold and blustery afternoon at the Silverlake, but it was Eastleigh who showed signs of settling first and there were two hopeful shouts for penalties from the home crowd – first when Mark Yeates took the slightest of shoves as he tried to capitalise on Sam Wood’s cross from the left and then when the ball hit defender Joe Widdowson’s arm.

The first meaningful shot on goal did not arrive until the 18th minute when Yeates bustled down the left but fired wide of the near post.

Orient responded with the game’s first corner and Eastleigh – again playing with a central defensive trio of Ayo Obileye, Reda Johnson and Andrew Boyce – had plenty of bodies back to block out Dan Holman’s strike.

Yeates wasn’t far away with a low, drilled effort after an Eastleigh break down the left, but the same couldn’t be said of Sam Wood’s hopeful strike from distance after a punch by Os’ keeper Dean Brill had fallen into his path.

With half an hour gone there had been precious little excitement to warm the 2,030 fans who had braved a freezing cold afternoon.

There was a hint of promise for Eastleigh when Gavin Hoyte advanced down the right and crossed towards McCallum, but the No9s’ header was easily gathered by Brill.

Orient came precious close to scoring on 36 minutes after Reda Johnson had been booked for handball outside the area.

Os’ skipper Jobi McAnuff stepped up to take it from inside the ‘D’ and expertly curled it towards to top corner only for the ball to clip the underside of the bar.

Half-time: Eastleigh 0 Leyton Orient 0.

Eastleigh opened the second half with renewed purpose and twice went close in the opening minutes.

Williamson’s downward header from Yeates’ left-wing cross wasn’t too far away from creeping inside the near post and then the same duo combined again on the left of the area and, this time, Yeates’s delicately weighted shot bent just past the far upright.

But, from looking dangerous, Eastleigh then found themselves under pressure and it needed top-drawer goalkeeping from Graham Stack to block out Holman’s goalbound shot after the Os’ No29 had skipped past his man and into a threatening position.

With the game starting to get stretched, the Spitfires were awarded a free kick some 20 yards out for a foul on Williamson.

Yeates’s effort pinged olff the defensive wall and fell to Obileye who got hold of his shot well, but it was deflected wide for the home side’s long overdue first corner.

Eastleigh boss Andy Hessenthaler threw on Sam Matthews in search of some extra creativity but, with Orient looking dangerous on the counter, it was anyone’s guess who, if anyone, would break the deadlock.

The Os had a good go in the 77th minute when, following determined work by Josh Koroma, fellow sub Macauley Bonne’s shot ricocheted wide.

Zebroski then entered the fray in place of McCallum for Eastleigh with 12 minutes left to try and conjure up something special.

AFC Bournemouth loanee Matthews wasn’t far away with an 18-yard shot that flew just over the crossbar.

Orient posed one final threat when Bonne headed wide of the near post from James Brophy’s cross but, just as against Halifax, defenders came out on top in another solid but unspectacular home draw for Eastleigh.

Eastleigh: Graham Stack, Gavin Hoyte, Sam Wood, Sam Togwell, Reda Johnson, Ayo Obileye, Andrew Boyce, Mark Yeates, Cavaghn Miley (Sam Matthews, 68), Ben Williamson, Paul McCallum (Chris Zebroski, 78). Subs (not used): Ryan Cresswell, Ryan Broom, Danny Hollands.

Referee: Joseph Johnson.

Attendance: 2,030.