Former QPR striker Lee Charles hit a stunning brace as Eastleigh lost away from Ten Acres for the first time this season.

Charles, 31, cost QPR £67,500 when he moved to Loftus Road from Chertsey Town in 1995 and his class was there for all to see down Aldershot's left flank last night.

But gutsy Eastleigh showed that their 1-0 lead in the abandoned fixture a week earlier was no fluke in front of the biggest crowd they have played in front of this season

With ex-Saint Paul Moody leading the Ryman Premier League leaders' attack, Eastleigh were up against forwards a cut above the usual Jewson Wessex League fare.

Manager Paul Doswell had to do without the injured Robbie Matthews but Sam Carter proved a tenacious, if unlikely, stand-in against the cup holders.

What Carter lacks in height he makes up for in energy, but he still rose highest to head a cross from the right that Gareth Howells was forced to tip over on seven minutes.

He was a major threat alongside David Laws, but Charles stole the show and opened the scoring after ten minutes.

Aldershot's summer signing from Nuneaton held off a challenge from Stuart Roberts after controlling a Lee Holsgrove through ball on his chest.

Then he cut inside, before firing across Colin Matthews and inside the right-hand post.

But Eastleigh hit back. Christer Warren ran unchallenged for 25 yards before firing narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

And then David Laws latched on to a through ball before rounding goalkeeper Howells in James Beattie fashion and slotting home his 23rd goal of the season.

That forced Aldershot, without the rested Stafford Browne, to step up a gear.

Matthews was forced into a spectacular diving parry to deny a Moody strike from the corner of the area and then Charles had a headed goal disallowed for offside.

Terry Brown's side finished the first half the stronger. Matthews used his legs to deny Charles again and Moody headed wide at the near post from just six yards before teeing-up Nick Roddis with a clever back-heel in first half injury time.

Roddis's first-time strike from 25 yards flew narrowly wide and three minutes after the restart, Carter outpaced Shots left-back Jason Chewins and hit a cross that flashed across the face of Howells' goal.

Then, after Moody and Taylor had gone close, Charles scored his seventh of the season.

Moody's clever angled ball in behind Stuart Kenna was just perfect for the former Hayes man, who held off the Eastleigh right-back's challenge before curling home his second in off the far post - a virtual carbon copy of his first half strike.

Midway through the second half Eastleigh midfielder David Asker flew past Jason Cousins down the right.

His pass inside also beat the back tracking Anthony Charles, only to hold up in the turf, which resembled a ploughed field in parts.

That gave Howells, the brother of former Spurs midfielder David, time to rush out and save at the feet of Laws, before limping off with a thigh strain.

Asker was becoming an increasing threat as he ran at the heart of the Shots defence and substitute 'keeper Nikki Bull had to rush out of his area to save at his feet on 81 minutes.

Bull again ensured there would be no extra time for the 839 crowd, which would surely have been bigger were it not for the Reading v Leicester clash down the road at the Madejski Stadium.

With four minutes left he tipped over a Danny Woods chip and then watched Lee Bright's volley from the resulting corner fly narrowly over the bar.

Doswell said: "I'm disappointed with the result but not the performance.

"Aldershot gave us a lot of respect in playing the majority of their first team but we more than matched them at times.

"They're virtually a professional club so I was pleased with how we played but you have to take your chances, which Lee Charles did.

"We missed Robbie Matthews but we still did the Wessex League proud."