EASTLEIGH were unable to claim a result at Yeovil Town’s Huish Park despite their second-half equaliser, with a late winner seeing it finish 2-1 in the National League meeting.

Harry Pritchard struck with 20 minutes to play, clawing back an earlier deficit imposed by Tom Knowles late in the first-half, but Adi Yussuf blasted the home side back in front.

An official total of 253 away supporters made the 140 mile round-trip to Somerset, with coaches put on by the Hampshire side as part of their ‘Big Away Day’.

Eastleigh’s players greeted fans on their arrival at the Silverlake Stadium and handed out free branded scarves as a token of appreciation for their support.

But they couldn’t pay them back completely on the pitch, despite a fast start that almost saw Pritchard take the lead after Ben House picked him out inside the box in the opening five minutes.

Ben Strevens’ line-up saw centre-back Tom Broadbent and right-back Josh Hare return to the starting XI, while popular summer signing Vince Harper was dropped to the bench after a week of reduced training due to a knock.

Veteran frontman Tyrone Barnett then squandered a good chance when he was unable to connect with a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, again courtesy of the lively House.

Yussuf had come close to giving Yeovil a lead inside half-hour when he headed just wide, but Matt Worthington later found Knowles outside the box to take the ball right and blast past Joe McDonnell into the top left corner.

Defender Andrew Boyce had two headed opportunities early in the second-half but couldn’t find the target, with frustration beginning to grow.

And it was dangerous forward House who was able to fashion the equaliser for Pritchard in the 69th minute of play, dribbling forward into the box before finding the goalscorer to take two attempts at hitting the net.

It looked as though the visitors could surge forward but the Glovers hit back and regained the lead after 77 minutes. Joe Quigley nodded on a long ball to Yussuf through on goal and the striker fired the ball into the top-right corner.

Eastleigh were unable to test Grant Smith in the closing stages and saw the away day coaches leaving with no points.

The result means Strevens’ side have lost two of their last five fixtures, with three wins, and now sit 15th in the table – Yeovil leapfrogging them. Eight points separate them and the play-offs, although the Spitfires have one game in hand.

Eastleigh: McDonnell; Hare, Boyce, Broadbent, Kelly (Harper, 65); Whelan, Miley, Hesketh (Hill, 65); House, Barnett, Pritchard (Whitehall, 86).

Unused subs: Maghoma, Hollands.