Hartlepool and Eastleigh met at the Stadium Prestige Group on Thursday evening in the fourth round of National League action. The visitors took all three points with a 0:1 victory, decided by a single strike in stoppage time. Eastleigh moved up to eighth place while Hartlepool remained twelfth in the table.
N. Khumbeni scored in the 90+7th minute to seal the result. By then Hartlepool had already been reduced to ten men when N. Eccleston received a second yellow card on the hour. The host side had dominated possession at 54 per cent but could only manage one shot on target all evening.
The red card in the 46th minute changed everything. Eccleston was shown his second yellow after a booking in the first half, and C. McKeown came on to replace him. Hartlepool made seven substitutions through the second half — more than any other match — but could not find a way back.
To be fair, Eastleigh made the most of what they had. Four shots on target against one, and 33 per cent accuracy compared to their opponents' 10 per cent. They won six corners to five and committed half the fouls. The goalkeeper saved once while Hartlepool's keeper had to make three stops.
The result leaves Eastleigh four points clear of their hosts. Hartlepool have played one fewer game but sit six points behind the leaders. The visitors have won three of five matches this season and picked up their first away point of the campaign.
