Eastleigh prepare for a key National League fixture against Southend United this Wednesday, aiming to respond after a heavy defeat last time out. The Spitfires were beaten 4-1 away at Harrogate Town on Saturday, a result that leaves them 13th in the table with 14 points from 10 games.
Manager Lee Bradbury is likely to keep faith with a similar lineup to the one that started at Harrogate. That side featured J. Jeffries in goal, with a back four of D. Rankine, T. Eweka, T. Dobson-Ventura and R. Johnson. Midfielders H. Sidwell, J. Cousins, A. Blair and J. Lundstram supported forwards M. Dickov and H. Ghandour. Cousins scored the team's only goal in the 25th minute at Harrogate, but defensive frailties were exposed in a game that saw the hosts score four times.
Opponent analysis
Southend arrive in strong form, sitting second in the National League. They come off a 4-2 home win over Barrow last weekend, part of a September run that also included a 6-1 victory at Gateshead. Their last starting XI included J. Sims in goal, with defenders V. Daley-Campbell, B. Goodliffe, R. Oyebade and K. McAdam. Their midfield and attack features players like O. Coker, D. Oldaker and forward P. Omochere, posing a significant threat.
Eastleigh's recent form has been mixed, with just one win in their last five league matches. The club will hope home advantage at Silverlake Stadium can help them secure a positive result against a promotion contender. Their next fixture is this Wednesday, September 30, against Southend at 18:45.
