Eastleigh power into playoffs

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By Wendy Gee -

EASTLEIGH have silenced their critics by powering into the Blue Square South play-off zone.

Ridiculed for an 8-2 home thrashing by Thurrock less than two weeks ago, the Spitfires have responded with three successive away victories to go fifth in the table.

Following success on the road at Basingstoke and Staines, Ian Baird’s troops showed true grit last night to grind out a 2-1 win at relegation-battling Lewes.

With striker Richard Gillespie straining his calf in the warm-up, Shaun McAuley returned after injury. Ross Bottomley was moved up front and the former AFC Totton man headed the Spitfires in front on six minutes after Sam Butler’s corner had been flicked on.

Jean-Michel Sigere pulled the Rooks level on the half-hour before fit-again Tony Taggart – on as a substitute for the injured Butler – sent in another corner for on-loan Portsmouth defender Luke Wilkinson to head in the 40th-minute winner.

“It was majorly important we got a result tonight,” said Baird. “We know by our own standards that we didn’t play well, but we’ve ground out a really ugly win. Everyone worked their socks off.”

With McAuley, Taggart and Brett Poate all fit again and Warren Goodhind going on as a substitute after flying home from Spain, there were some big pluses for Baird. But commenting on Gillespie’s injury, he said: “It’s a big, big blow.”

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