RICHARD Hill admitted Oxford United caused his Eastleigh side problems “right from the start” as the League Two visitors ran out 2-0 friendly winners at the Silverlake Stadium this afternoon.

Yet although the Us presented the Spitfires with a far tougher test than their divisional rivals Newport County had on Tuesday, Eastleigh could – and perhaps should – have had their noses in front at the break.

Two quickfire Oxford goals in the last five minutes of the first half ultimately proved Eastleigh’s undoing.

But it could have been a different story after the pacy Yemi Odubade – one of four ex-Oxford players in the Spitfires’ line-up - had set up two first-half chances that fell into the ‘harder to miss’ category.

Us’ supporters in the 1,193 Silverlake crowd must have feared the worst when the livewire Odubade went bombing down the right and presented the ball on a plate for James Constable at the far post.

But the man affectionately known as ‘Beano’, scorer 106 goals for Oxford – just one short of equalling the club record - let his former employers off the hook by screwing his 36th-minute shot uncharacteristically wide.

Oxford’s Danny Hylton then spurned a gift header at the other end before Odubade burst off the leash again to set up summer arrival Andy Drury with another inviting delivery, but the former Luton Town midfielder blazed over.

Eastleigh were made to pay the price for that wastefulness as the visitors hit them twice in four minutes before the break.

Hylton, whose running battle with Eastleigh skipper Paul Reid was to spill over en route to the half-time dressing room, was controversially awarded a free-kick on the left which Kemar Roofe delivered to the back stick.

Alex MacDonald looped the ball back across goal where Johnny Mullins was waiting to knock it home from close range.

Then, in stoppage time, Eastleigh’s new loan goalkeeper signing Michael Poke from Portsmouth found himself picking the ball out of the net for a second time.

Hylton, who was to play no further part after the half-time fisticuffs, left his mark on game by cutting inside Joe Partington before brilliantly curling the ball home.

Constable had the ball in the net from Partington’s cross four minutes after the restart only to be ruled offside and the 30-year-old Oxford legend made his exit on 55 minutes, going off to a rapturous ovation from both sets of fans.

It was one of a raft of substitutions made by Eastleigh who had their work cut out to keep Oxford in check after the break with Roofe. MacDonald and sub Callum O’Dowda particularly dangerous.

Reflecting on the game, Hill - who played former Saint Dan Harding at left-back for the whole 90 minutes - said: “We conceded the first from a debatable free-kick against Will (Evans) and then lost our discipline, went a bit ragged and conceded a second.

“But we were decent first half. Josh Payne put in a couple of good balls and Andy Drury was getting around the pitch well after missing the first bit of pre-season.

“When a team goes two up like Oxford did, suddenly everyone becomes a good player and it could have been three or four in the end.

“But you need to give our lads some credit for hanging in there and for continuing to do the right things for little or no reward.”

The Spitfires play their penultimate friendly at Salisbury on Tuesday (7.45) before entertaining promoted Conference champions Barnet next Saturday (3pm).