THE scoreline did not do justice to Eastleigh’s performance as they fell to a third straight National League away defeat in the televised lunchtime kick-off at Tranmere Rovers today.

For large parts of the game the Spitfires gave as good as they got in front of the BT Sport cameras, but the 3-1 loss makes it seven games without win for Andy Hessenthaler’s men who still have work to do to avoid getting sucked into a relegation fight.

With no Reda Johnson available, Eastleigh brought skipper Ryan Cresswell back into defence as they looked to keep a third successive clean sheet.

But that went out of the window with nine minutes gone when they conceded from an inswinging corner by Jeff Hughes.

The ball bypassed Sam Togwell at the near post and, with goalkeeper Graham Stack placed under pressure by Connor Jennings, Ritchie Sutton was on hand to tap home.

It was a scruffy goal to give away and the irony was that Eastleigh had themselves threatened from a corner just five minutes earlier only to be denied by two fine saves from Tranmere keeper Scott Davies, who went on to have an outstanding game.

The work on the training ground so nearly paid off when Mark Yeates’ delivery picked out big defender Ayo Obileye on the edge of the box. He unleashed a fantastic strike which Davies pushed away before also dealing with Cresswell’s follow-up.

“The defining moment was the first goal,” said Hessenthaler afterwards. “We could have been one up from a set play ourselves and we can’t concede one like that. We’re then chasing the game.

“But for long periods we were well in it and I thought our performance was good.”

Sam Wood lashed an effort across goal and wide of the far post as Eastleigh did their best to respond, but they had a great reaction save by Graham Stack to thank for turning away James Norwood’s header shortly before half-time.

Stack did well again ten minutes into the second half when he spread himself to deny Norwood once more but, as the half wore on, Eastleigh looked the better side and Davies had to be alert to stop Obileye capitalising on sub Chris Zebroski’s near-post cross.

With 78 minutes gone, however, the Spitfires found themselves two goals down when Tranmere’s top scorer Andy Cook was picked out by sub Andy Mangan’s diagonal ball.

Wood and Stack got themselves in a tangle trying to negate the threat and Cook kept his feet to slam the ball home.

By now Hessenthaler had brought Ben Williamson and Ryan Broom off the bench and all three Eastleigh subs had a hand in halving the deficit with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Broom delivered from the right, Williamson stuck out a boot to meet it and the ball deflected off Tranmere’s Adam Buxton for Zebroski to nip in and tuck away.

The Spitfires, who had already seen Sam Matthews curl an effort just past the post, threw the kitchen sink at the hosts with the busy Davies saving well from Cresswell and Andrew Boyce in the closing minutes.

At that point a last-ditch equaliser did not look out of the question but, alas for Eastleigh, the decisive goal went Rovers’ way – and what a strike it was!

Stack’s kick fell to Hughes in the centre-circle and he knocked it forward for Cook. The Tranmere No9 headed it on, outmuscling Togwell in the process, and unleashed a spectacular, dipping half-volley from all of 30 yards which gave the Eastleigh keeper no chance.

Cook later described it as the best goal of his career.

The defeat means mid-table Eastleigh must get something out of two home games this week – against Dover Athletic on Tuesday (7.45pm) and Ebbsfleet United on Good Friday (3pm).