Eastleigh hold off Aldershot fightback

Eastleigh held off a second-half comeback from Aldershot to register their first goals and points of the Enterprise National League season with a 3-2 victory.

Ryan Hill scored two penalties in the 55th and 74th minutes as Shots battled back in an attempt to gain their first point but even the sending off of Paul McCallum came too late for them to take advantage of nine minutes of added time.

Josh Barrett’s looping 30-yard volley hit the inside of the post in the third minute but it was Aaron Blair, racing through the inside-left channel to poke through the legs of goalkeeper Marcus Dewhurst with his right foot, who made the breakthrough in the 29th minute for his first goal for the club.

Four minutes after half-time, Aaron Pierre headed in Archie Harris’ free-kick at the back post and McCallum then had a goal disallowed for offside before Temi Eweka nodded in the third.

Aldershot’s comeback began when Cam Hargreaves was brought down just three minutes later and when Archy Taylor was later fouled in the area Hill, stroked home his second from the spot.