Report: Eastleigh 1-0 Magpies

The Magpies suffered defeat on the road in their final away fixture of 2024 as Eastleigh held on to a 1-0 lead from the 16th minute. 

 

Alan Devonshire made one change to the side which drew against Solihull the week before, with Owen Cochrane replacing the suspended Theirry Latty-Fairweather. Eastleigh, having drawn 2-2 away to AFC Fylde on the same day, were unchanged. 

 

Eastleigh got the game underway, and threatened Craig Ross’ goal in the first minute. Lloyd Humphries’ shot was deflected out for a corner, which was well cleared by the United defence. 

 

The hosts would only have to wait a quarter of an hour to grab the only goal of the game. Tyrese Shade worked his way into the box from the right, squaring the ball to Ludwig Francillette to fire home into the roof of the net from six yards out. 

 

United responded with sustained pressure in the final third, resulting in a series of corners. Each set piece would ultimately be headed out of play by the Spitfires, before Noa Boutin put an end to the passage of play with his clearance. 

 

It was a lacklustre affair for the remainder of the first 45, with neither ‘keeper under any real pressure before the teams headed down the tunnel for the interval. 

 

 

Akin to the first half, Eastleigh started with a chance in the first minute. Goal scorer Francillette struck the crossbar with an extravagant standing overhead kick, with the rebound cleared by United. 

 

As the hour mark came and went, Alan Devonshire looked towards the bench as his side sought an equaliser. Fresh legs in the form of Shawn McCoulsky and Tyrese Dyce spurred life into United, and it wasn’t long until McDonnell’s clean sheet was endangered. 

 

A Tristan Abrahams cross in the 71st minute found Sam Barratt, who headed towards goal forcing the Eastleigh ‘keeper into a good save. The subsequent corner ultimately gave Will de Havilland an opportunity to head home, but, like Barratt, his header was blocked by McDonnell who held on to remove the danger. 

 

As the game entered the closing stages, United would ramp up the pressure following a foul by Dominic Gape. Barratt delivered a cross onto Tyrese Dyce, but his glancing header flew just over the crossbar. 

 

Minutes later, the rarely seen indirect free kick was called after McDonnell handled a back pass. With United forced to play back towards the edge of penalty area, Ferguson took aim but his shot was blocked and cleared. 

 

United rightly appealed a penalty shout in the four minutes of stoppage time as McCoulsky was brought down by McDonnell. However, despite vocal appeals from the 90-strong travelling faithful, referee Paul Johnson ruled no foul, and the Spitfires would see out the game. 

 

 

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Brindley, Humphries, Francillette, Taylor ©, Shade, Gape (Maguire, 82’), Waruih, Quigley (McCallum, 72’), Boutin (Fernandez, 90+2’), Maher 

 

Magpies: Ross ©, de Havilland, Ferguson, Pettit (Carvalho, 83’), Smith (Keetch, 83’), Cochrane, Welch-Hayes, Abrahams, Barratt, Onariase, Ajose (McCoulsky, 62’) 

 

Attendance: 2000 (90)