Eastleigh 2
(Whelan pen 55′, Barnett 67′)
United 1
(Little 32′)
There was disappointment in Hampshire as Eastleigh came from behind to inflict a 2-1 defeat on United.
Armani Little’s first-half strike saw the travelling Yellow Army dreaming of another festive three points, however the second period was only ten minutes old when Tom Whelan levelled things up via the penalty spot, before Tyrone Barnett turned the game on its head completely with a fortuitous second, which turned out to be the winner.
After such an emphatic showing against Yeovil at Plainmoor 48 hours earlier, it was perhaps no surprise that Gulls boss Gary Johnson named the same starting XI to face The Spitfires, with the only amendment coming on the bench, where goalkeeper Mark Halstead replaced winger Keelan O’Connell to take his place amongst the substitutes.
The early action couldn’t match Boxing Day’s offerings, with Danny Wright and Barnett both trying their luck with ambitious efforts, however neither were close enough to trouble the two goalkeepers.
As the game reached the halfway point, Torquay began to impose themselves, as Wright chested down a loose ball before firing a good effort just past the post, with Klaidi Lolos just failing to get on the end of a Connor Lemonheigh-Evans pass inside the 18-yard box shortly after.
Dean Moxey’s long throws, which have caused havoc amongst many National League sides already this season, nearly paid dividends once again on the half hour as his delivery found Tom Lapslie on the edge of the box, however the midfielder’s effort was blocked at close range.
On 32 minutes, the men in black & white stripes produced a moment of magic worthy of glorious technicolor.
Some marvellous interplay between Dan Martin and Klaidi Lolos saw the ball find Little in space, allowing The Gulls’ captain the opportunity to fire across goal and find the back of the net to give his side the lead.
Shaun MacDonald was forced into his first save moments later, as Jake Hesketh forced the United stopper into a smart parry, however during the remainder of the first period, it was Johnson’s men who were in the ascendency, as they went in search of a second goal.
Jack Sparkes came closest to it six minutes before the interval, with a marvellous shot from outside the penalty area, which McDonnell tipped onto the crossbar, with the home keeper looking mightily relieved as the rebound bounced straight into his grateful arms.
At the halfway point – just as they were on their last visit to Silverlake – United were sitting pretty.
Last season, The Gulls were unable to build on that lead as The Spitfires bounced back to win, and the Yellow Army may well have been fearing a similar response from the hosts, following a similarly dominant first-half showing from their side.
Harry Pritchard nearly seized upon a ball over the top five minutes following the restart, however he sent the presentable opportunity wide of MacDonald’s right-hand post.
That reprieve was to prove short-lived however, as Eastleigh drew level on 55 minutes, with Whelan going down under a challenge inside the penalty area.
The same player picked himself to take the resulting spot-kick, and restored parity for his side, albeit via the woodwork.
Clearly roused by that, the home side started to force Johnson’s men back for the first sustained period of the game, with Barnett’s long range effort going a bit too close for comfort three minutes later.
United just seemed to be settling back into proceedings following that setback, before disaster struck on 67 minutes.
A ball into the box saw Barnett meet it with a firm header, however it appeared to be straight at MacDonald. Unfortunately though, as both ball and body hit the turf, the ball squirmed out of the Torquay glovesman’s grasp, resulting in it ending up in the back of the net.
Stunned, it took The Gulls some time to get to grips with the swift turnaround, however the next chance fell their way, with Little again assuming set-piece responsibility on merit, firing in a 74th minute effort towards goal from 20 yards which McDonnell did well to palm behind.
Asa Hall, on his return to the side, sent a diving header into his hands moments later, before substitute Dan Holman nearly bundled home – seconds after coming on – as United began to turn the screw in search of another ‘Gary Time’ goal.
Johnson’s men kept plugging away without being able to fashion the kind of chances they needed to salvage a point, with five minutes on injury time unable to provide enough time for them to find salvation.
Not the follow-up to Boxing Day’s heroics the Yellow Army wanted, however Torquay have the perfect opportunity for an action replay of that performance on Sunday, with the return trip to Yeovil just five days away.
EASTLEIGH: 1. Joe McDonnell, 2. Josh Hare, 3. Michael Kelly, 5. Tom Broadbent, 6. Andrew Boyce, 8. Harry Pritchard, 10. Tyrone Barnett (17. Danny Whitehall, 73′), 11. Ryan Hill (7. Sam Smart, 90′), 12. Jake Hesketh (25. Christian Maghoma, 88′), 19. Danny Hollands, 20. Tom Whelan.
SUBS NOT USED: Ross Flitney, 21. Tom Bragg.
Yellow Card: Whelan 29′, Pritchard 41′, Broadbent 79′
UNITED: 37. Shaun MacDonald, 2. Ben Wynter, 3. Dan Martin, 4. Tom Lapslie (8. Asa Hall, 45′), 7. Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, 9. Danny Wright, 10. Armani Little, 19. Klaidi Lolos (30. Dan Holman, 80′), 21. Dean Moxey, 28. Jack Sparkes (14. Chiori Johnson, 66′), 31. Joe Lewis.
SUBS NOT USED: 1. Mark Halstead, 5. Ali Omar.
Yellow Card: Little 32′, Martin 53′, Moxey 78′
Attendance: 2,730 (428 Away fans)