Halifax suffer rare home setback

An own goal from Marc Roberts and James Constable’s 17th league strike of the campaign secured a vital victory for The Spitfires.

Town are probably wishing the season could end two games early after losing their first home game in eight with a performance, like the one that preceded it at Barnet, never really got going.

Craig McAllister headed wide at the far post during the first couple of minutes before Jai Reason’s free-kick was headed into his own net by Roberts, prompting the Wembley chants from the visiting supporters.

A superb move involving McAllister, Reason and top-scorer Constable then earned Eastleigh a corner from which the latter flicked a shot just wide.

There was no shortage of effort on Town’s part, especially from the industrious front-two, and Halifax were competing much better by the half-hour mark, but a lack of quality when approaching the visitors’ defence let them down.

Constable engineered a magnificent lob over Matt Glennon from an acute angle to double Eastleigh’s lead, who now looked out of reach.

Flitney was finally tested during a god spell as first Marc Roberts’ header then substitute Danny Hattersley, one of only three on the Town bench, saw efforts saved.

Muldoon then skied a clear chance after latching onto Hattersley’s knock down.