FC Halifax Town lost for the second weekend in a row with a 1-0 defeat at the Silverlake Stadium with Charlie Carter’s goal giving Eastleigh all three points.
Town manager Chris Millington had made two changes with Festus Arthur and Harvey Gilmour into the starting XI for Jack Hunter and Jamie Stott. The home side forced an early corner but Corey Panter’s ball into the box was easily caught by Sam Johnson, a minute later Town won a corner. Matt Warburton found Gilmour and his ball to the back post found Jordan Keane, but his effort went wide of the target.
Kian Spence’s half volley on 5 minutes as he looked for his second goal of the season, but he forced Joe McDonell into a fine save.
Town worked the ball to Angelo Cappello on the left-hand side, his cross was narrowly away from Mani Dieseruvwe and out for a throw.
The game was decided in the space of a minute. Town were awarded a penalty on 21 minutes for a push on Jordan Keane in the area, Matt Warburton forced McDonell into a save with his spot kick. Eastleigh went up the other end of the field and Charlie Carter was able to roll the ball past Sam Johnson for the only goal of the game.
Carter had an effort to double their lead on 31 minutes, but his effort was high and wide of the goal, then Tristan Abrahams had the ball in the net, but the assistant referee had his flag up for offside.
Johnson saved Danny Whitehall’s effort just before the break and Town went into the half time break 1-0 down.
Just into the second half a freekick into the box found Carter whose effort at goal was cleared away by Warburton, Ryan Hill shot straight at Johnson as Eastleigh continued to look for a second goal.
Town’s best chance to find an equaliser came from Spence whose effort from the edge of the box hit the post and Cisse cleared it wide.
Jordan Slew had a freekick, but his effort was never troubling McDonell in the home goal as it sailed over the crossbar.
Carter had another chance to get his second of the game, rising highest to a Corey Panter’s freekick at the far post, but his header was wide of the target.
A Warburton freekick found Dieseruvwe who forced McDonnell into a save as the game went into 6 minutes of injury time.
The Shaymen are back in action next Saturday with a home game against Woking FC, 3pm kick-off.
Eastleigh: 1 Joe McDonnell, 20 John Oyenuga, 5 Aaron Martin ©, 19 Corey Panter, 17 Vincent Harper, 7 Charlie Carter, 16 JJ McKiernan, 8 Ousseynou Cisse, 11 Ryan Hill (21 Oscar Rutherford 80), 9 Danny Whitehall (30 Callum Ebanks 69), 14 Tristan Abrahams
Subs: 12 George Langston, 4 Nigel Atangama, 10 Jake Hesketh
FC Halifax Town: 1 Sam Johnson, 24 Sam Minihan, 5 Jesse Debrah, 22 Festus Arthur (11 Sam Smart 82), 3 Jack Senior, 16 Jordan Keane © 8 Kian Spence, 10 Matt Warburton, 9 Mani Dieseruvwe, 18 Angelo Capello (17 Rob Harker 87), 20 Harvey Gilmour (25 Jordan Slew 57)
Subs: 2 Tylor Golden, 14 Jack Hunter
Referee: Elliott Swallow
Goals Carter 23
Yellow Cards Martin 35, Abrahams 38, Gilmour 38, Cisse 42, Warburton 44, Hill 51, Harper 78, Ebanks 84
Red Cards: None
Attendance: 2164
Eastleigh 1 FC Halifax Town 0
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