SCOTT Wilson could have found himself in the Eastleigh doghouse after shouldering the blame for Boreham Wood’s last-gasp equaliser at the Silverlake Stadium last Tuesday.

But manager Martin Allen’s decision to promote him from substitute to starter in yesterday's return match Meadow Park proved a master stroke as the former Weston-super-Mare man grabbed the only goal in a 1-0 Spitfires win.

Wilson’s magic moment arrived three minutes into the second half when he pounced on David Stephens’ weak back pass and rounded keeper Grant Smith before slotting in his fourth goal of the season.

It will have come as a huge relief for the 23-year-old who, just four days earlier, had been punished for not clearing the ball as Wood grabbed a 2-2 leveller five minutes into stoppage time.

“He (Wilson) came in the other night pretty disappointed,” said Allen.

“He had the opportunity to clear it from that corner in our own box with 37 seconds to go. I suppose the easy thing to do was to drop him, leave him out and not talk to him.

“But he was hurt and he apologised to everybody and I thought the thing to do today was to play him.

“He’s a lovely lad who works his socks off and I’m sure all our players and, I’d imagine, supporters will be chuffed to bits that he’s come in there and scored.”

Yesterday's win – Eastleigh’s first in the National League under Allen – not only reignites their play-off hopes, but it’s a timely boost ahead of this Saturday’s FA Cup third round tie at Brentford.

Allen, who was leaving straight after the match to take in the Bees’ 0-0 Championship draw against Norwich at Griffin Park, said: “Today I thought we put in an excellent performance.

“It wasn’t spectacular, but it’s a start – a clean sheet away from home and winning 1-0.

“As we saw on TV (BT Sport) the other night, Boreham Wood are a dangerous team to play against and, yes, they did have some good chances. But we also had a lot of efforts on their goal which could have won the game more comfortably.”

With Luke Coulson left out of the squad amid speculation that he is about to be sold to a Football League club, former Sutton United winger Ross Stearn was handed a rare start and it was he who had the first big chance of the match, volleying wide five minutes in.

Michael Green, Adam Dugdale and Wolves loanee Hakeem Odoffin also came into a much-changed Eastleigh side, while Wilson’s winner repaid the faith of boss Allen who stuck him in ahead of Frenchman Mikael Mandron.

Admitting it was good to atone for his Silverlake error, Wilson said: “It was gutting to concede late on Tuesday and I held my hands up to the lads about that because I felt I could have done more in that situation.

“To get the chance to make up for it today (was great). I was delighted for the lads to dig in like they did for last half-hour.”

Eastleigh’s success in standing up to that late Boreham Wood pressure again owed much to teenage goalkeeper Mark Childs who has taken National League football confidently in his stride.

Formerly on the Saints’ Second Chance Programme at the Sparsholt College Academy, the 19-year-old withstood a Ricky Shakes piledriver before pulling off an exceptional double save, first taking the sting out of sub Bruno Andrade’s goalbound shot before springing up and stopping it crossing the line.

Eastleigh: Mark Childs, Michael Green, Adam Dugdale, Tyler Garratt, Hakeem Odoffin, Bondz N'Gala, Ross Stearn (Ben Strevens, 79), Jai Reason (Connor Essam, 57), Sam Togwell, Scott Wilson (Ryan Bird, 62), James Constable. Subs: David Pipe, Mikael Mandron.

Referee: Craig Hicks.

Attendance: 445.