Saints' new French signing Leandre Griffit has already discovered there are no easy games in English football - not even against your friendly non-League neighbours!

Incredibly Steve Wigley's young guns were trailing 3-0 to Dr Martens League new boys Eastleigh with just three minutes remaining at Ten Acres last night before late strikes from Leon Best and Simon Gillett added a touch of respectability, writes WENDY GEE.

The final outcome was a tad harsh on Paul Doswell's Wessex League champions, who took a late first-half lead through last season's 43-goal top scorer Robbie Matthews and ran the baby-faced Saints ragged for much of the second phase.

Skipper Francis Benali excepted, only Aaron Davis has had sniff of Gordon Strachan's Premiership squad and, after a controlled first-half showing, Saints' inexperience began to tell against a physically strong Eastleigh side.

Griffit felt the force of a couple of crunching tackles from hardnut midfielder Danny Woods and left one exchange nursing a sore mouth. But the 19-year-old attacking midfielder, signed from French second division side Amiens, showed some eye-catching skills and it took a last-ditch Lee Bright tackle to halt his flow in the 24th minute.

Wigley said: "The lad showed good skills, but I'd like to see them in and around the box. He had a bit of cramp when he came off. I don't think he's ever undergone a pre-season like he's had here!"

Mike Williamson, Luke Byles and Graffit all went close in a bright opening for Saints and it wasn't until ex-Dell boy Nicky Banger twice threatened towards the half-hour mark that Eastleigh began to believe.

Matthews, a Saints trialist last season, easily nodded home a flicked-on Tyronne Bowers free kick in the 41st minute and, with both sides piling on the substitutes, it was Eastleigh who kept their shape better after the break.

Trialist Dave Greening - son of ex-Newport IoW striker Steve - calmly tucked away their 70th-minute second and then teenager Robbie Chamberlain headed home a wicked cross from red-hot substitute Martin Beck.

Ironically it was Beck's moment of slackness that let in 16-year-old Best, a £50,000 signing from Notts County, to pull one back in the 87th minute after initial hesitation about being offside.

Two minutes later Eastleigh keeper Colin Matthews stood statue-like as Gillett unleashed a long-range bolt for a spectacular finale.

"It was a mirror image of the one he scored on Saturday in the under-19s' win over Wimbledon," said Wigley. "It was another 25-yard strike with no backlift."

Wigley, who takes his side to Watford tomorrow, declared himself "reasonably pleased" with the workout. He said: "We were more or less in control in the first half, but they played well in the second. Fair do's to Eastleigh - they were worth their win. Quite a few of their boys have been in and out of our club and wanted to do well."

Eastleigh's player/assistant manager David Hughes, the ex-Saints midfielder, said: "In the last ten minutes we should have been more professional."

Eastleigh: Colin Matthews, Phil Warner, Danny Woods, Lee Bright, Rob Marshall, Danny Rofe, Tyronne Bowers, Kevin Gibbens, Christer Warren, Nicky Banger, Robbie Matthews. Subs: (all used) Ryan Ashford, Martin Beck, David Hughes, Stuart Roberts, Charlie Balfe, Shea Saunders, Dave Greening, Robbie Chamberlain, Michael Cameron.

Saints: Gareth Williams, Michael Green, Steve Hunt, Francis Benali, Mike Williamson, Luke Byles, Aaron Davis, Jamie Gleeson, Jay Lucas, Leandre Griffit, Richard Jones. Subs: (all used) Leon Best, Eddie Anaclet, Simon Gillett.

Attendance: 500.