Eastleigh 1 Forest Green Rovers 1

Martin’s Allen pre-match playlist did not have the desired effect as Eastleigh were held at home by Forest Green Rovers.

Determined to inject a more vibrant pre-match atmosphere at the Silverlake Stadium, DJ Mad Dog insisted on a three-track Nineties theme as 1998 World Cup anthem Vindaloo, Prince’s Party Like It’s 99 and Baddiel and Skinner’s Three Lions (Football’s Coming Home) were belted out on a continuous loop over the PA System.

The came the sound of air raid sirens to welcome out the Spitfires.

There was no shortage of effort for the next 90 minutes but quality was in short supply as both sides settled for a repeat of the 1-1 draw at Forest Green in September.

Rovers, fresh from their first win in nine matches (5-1 at Bromley), took a 24th-minute lead when Christian Doidge dived to head in his 14th of the season at the near post.

Eastleigh equalised ten minutes later. It looked like a headed own goal following Luke Coulson's corner, but Ayo Obileye claimed his second goal in as many games after scoring on his full debut at Brentford.

New signing Darius Henderson came on at half-time to make his debut hours after signing from Mansfield after Allen made five changes from the team that lost 5-1 at Griffin Park.

Joe Partington, Bondz N’Gala and Tyler Garratt helped make up a back four in place of Adam Dugdale, Michael Green and Gavin Hoyte.

With Saturday’s back five dispensed with, Ben Strevens came in for Connor Essam and Mandron was back in for Ryan Bird.

There were also six changes to the team that won Eastleigh’s last league game at Boreham Wood, and the Spitfires did not make much of an impact after having an early penalty appeal turned down after Constable went down.

Mandron was the first to test Forest Green keeper Sam Russell, who had conceded 13 goals in the three games that preceded Rovers’ first win since November on Saturday.

Former Sunderland striker Mandron dispossessed left-back Emmanuel Monthe and drew an excellent diving save before the ball was cleared from inside the six-yard box.

But the visitors took the lead when the unmarked Doidge added to his Bromley brace with a tenth goal in nine games, converting Keanu Marsh-Brown’s pinpoint cross at the near post.

Graham Stack was alert to Noble's first-time 40-yarder that Stack was alert to but the Spitfires were soon level.

N‘Gala had a shot cleared off the line before Strevens' shot was deflected over.

Obileye claimed the equaliser from Coulson's corner.

It looked like a headed own goal at the far post but Obileye emerged from the melee with his arm raised.

Stack had a good game and was at his best to palm behind Marsh-Brown's curler.

From the resulting corner, Coulson countered in thrilling fashion but Odoffin failed to make the most of the opportunity under pressure.

Sam Togwell was booked for a poor challenge on Ethan Pinnock before Stack produced another great save in a packed penalty area to keep out Charlie Copper's 20-yarder in first-half injury time.

Stack tipped over Wishart’s audacious 40-yard volley and N'Gala deflected behind a Marsh-Brown shot before Ben Strevens headed wide an excellent chance from ten yards, following Coulson's cross.

Mandron fizzed a left-footer narrowly wide from Jai Reason’s pass with two minutes remaining but Eastleigh were grateful when Shami Mullings missed a glorious chance, under pressure from Garratt in the six-yard box.

Eastleigh again breathed a collective sigh of relief when a couple of injury time headers from Doidge were directed over Stack’s bar.

Eastleigh: Stack, Partington, N’Gala, Obileye, Garrett; Odoffin (Wilson 75), Togwell (Reason 56), Strevens, Coulson; Constable (Henderson 45), Mandron.
Subs not used: Childs, Dugdale.
Forest Green Rovers: Russell, Bennett, Clough, Monthe; Sinclair (Mullings 71), Cooper, Noble, Pinnock, Wishart, Marsh-Brown (Kelly 83); Doidge.

Attendance: 1,917 (114 from Forest Green)