SPITFIRES SURVIVE LATE CALL
EASTLEIGH survived strong appeals for a stoppage-time penalty to keep their promotion play-off prospects bubbling with a nervy odd-goal victory over Altrincham.
With the match three minutes into added time, the sixth-placed Spitfires appeared to be heading towards a 3-1 win, only for Eddy Jones to trigger a frenetic finale with Altrincham’s second goal.
Then, as the Spitfires went to repel one last attack, center back Aaron Martin dived in to block a shot from substitute Aaron Bennett. Altrincham’s players claimed handball but referee Sam Mulhall waved away their protests and Eastleigh escaped to celebrate a 14th home win of the season.
Robins boss Phil Parkinson described it as “daylight robbery” while suspended Spitfires manager Lee Bradbury, who watched the match from the television gantry after a touchline ban imposed for four bookings, agreed that he too “would have been shouting for it”, before adding, “the award of a penalty would have been harsh”.
The win kept Eastleigh alongside Barnet on 63 points, but significantly eight ahead of Wealdstone, who lie immediately outside of the play-off pack.
Eastleigh were gifted a bizarre sixth-minute lead – an own goal by Altrincham’s James Jones, who aimed a blind pass back towards goalkeeper Oli Byrne, who slipped and watched the ball trickle agonisingly past him and in off the post.
The Spitfires doubled their lead in the tenth minute after a flowing move down the left, initiated by Oussey Cisse and converted at close range by
Kairo Michell from Charlie Carter’s pinpoint cross.
A third goal would probably have settled the contest but JJ McKiernan headed Michael Kelly’s cross high and wide when he might well have scored.
And that might have proved pivotal as Altrincham gained the initiative and deservedly cut Eastleigh’s lead in the 28th minute. Eddy Jones let fly with a rasping shot from outside the box, which cannoned off goalkeeper Joe McDonnell and into the path of Jordan Hulme, who headed home the rebound.
Eastleigh appeared to have the win points in the bag when Christian Maghoma headed home Michael Kelly’s free-kick – only the second goal of his career.
Altrincham had rescued 23 points from losing positions before their trip south and clawed it back to 3-2 through Jones before that big hand ball claim.
Some referees might have pointed to the spot but to Eastleigh’s relief – and Altrincham’s disappointment – Sam Mulhall didn’t.