EASTLEIGH’S hopes of finishing another below-par season on a high are fading fast.

The stuttering Spitfires are without a win in four games after crashing to their third straight National League defeat 1-0 at home to Ebbsfleet United tonight.

Goalkeeper Ross Flitney kept Ebbsfleet at arm’s length with two superb saves in the first 33 minutes – first clawing away Kenny Clark’s header form a corner and then thwarting a curling effort from Corey Whitely.

Cav Miley also played his part with a goalline clearance to deny Fleet's top scorer Danny Kedwell.

Ebbsfleet defended doggedly to block Eastleigh’s best efforts but looked to have come unstuck on 65 minutes when tricky customer Sam Matthews was brought down for a Spitfires penalty.

Paul McCallum stepped up to take it but was foiled by ex-Gosport Borough keeper Nathan Ashmore who had already made some decent second-half stops, including one from Chris Zebroski's long-range strike

Undeterred, Eastleigh continued to press only to be caught by a sucker punch with 81 minutes gone.

The visitors forced a corner, taken by Jonathan Powell, and central defender Clark again rose highest to power home a header, lifting Ebbsfleet into the play-off zone in seventh spot.

Eastleigh, 16th, round off their home fixtures on Saturday with a 12.30pm kick-off against champions elect Macclesfield Town – that match to be screened live on BT Sport.