TABLE-topping Wrexham brought a touch of class to the Silverlake Stadium yesterday.

But, with no disrespect to the Welshmen, Eastleigh boss Andy Hessenthaler felt they were gifted victory, concluding: “They didn’t beat us – we pretty much beat ourselves.”

Talk about shooting yourselves in the foot.

Having handed the Dragons an early two-goal lead with two atrocious lapses from set-pieces, the Spitfires watched on in dismay as defender Andrew Boyce was sent off at home to Wrexham for a second time in five months.

He got his marching orders in a 1-1 draw at the Silverlake in April and repeated the feat on Saturday – less than 20 minutes after going on as a half-time sub.

Returning to the squad after missing Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Bromley with a back problem, Boyce was named on the bench as Hessenthaler kept faith with a back four.

But, chastened by a first-half horror show in which Manny Smith’s ninth-minute opener was followed by an Alex Wynter own goal – both stemming from the Spitfires’ inability to deal with Luke Summerfield free-kicks – Hessenthaler reverted to three central defenders, throwing on Boyce and sacrificing Chris Zebroski up front.

But their new game plan had hardly had time to bed in when Boyce picked up two yellow cards in rapid succession for fouls on Jordan Maguire-Drew and Mike Fondop.

Against the odds, Eastleigh’s ten men managed to halve the deficit four minutes later when Paul McCallum turned onto Mark Yeates’ cross and drilled the ball low past keeper Rob Lainton – the first goal Wrexham had conceded since the penultimate game of last season.

But defensive calamity struck again on 82 minutes when Eastleigh colossus Reda Johnson was muscled aside by Fondop whose shot went in off the far post.

“No disrespect, but it wasn’t their quality, it was our poor defending that beat us,” said Hessenthaler.

“We’ve been undone from two set plays, but we had all that to deal with against Bromley on Tuesday and we defended well.

"That’s the frustrating thing. Today we just didn’t defend properly. Our decision-making -  with and without the ball - was poor.

“For Boyce’s first (challenge), he probably had to take a booking, but when you’re on a yellow card (for the second challenge) you certainly don’t go to ground there.

“Wrexham deserved to win, they were very professional, but we made it easy for them.

“We’ve got a free week now and we have to make sure we get it right for Dover (away) on Saturday.

Eastleigh: Graham Stack, Josh Hare, Michael Green, Danny Hollands (Oscar Gobern, 62), Reda Johnson, Alex Wynter, Mark Yeates, Cav Miley, Paul McCallum, Ben Williamson (James Constable, 75), Chris Zebroski (Andrew Boyce, 46). Subs (not used):Ross Flitney, Ollie Dennett.

Referee: Carl Brook.

Attendance: 1,717.