YOUNG guns Ollie Dennett and Jack McKnight scored their first National League goals this afternoon as Eastleigh brought the curtain down on the regular season with a 3-3 draw at Boreham Wood.

The result keeps Ben Strevens’ men seventh in the table, meaning they will travel to Wrexham in the play-off preliminary round next Thursday and the winners of that will advance to a semi-final at Salford City the following Sunday.

Wrexham have wound up fourth after beating Harrogate Town 2-1 at the Racecourse Ground. The Dragons have climbed above AFC Fylde who lost their final league game 2-0 at home to FC Halifax Town.

As expected, Eastleigh boss Ben Stevens opted to rest several of his key players for the trip to Hertfordshire and give youth its chance.

Dennett, McKnight and Callum Baughan were all in a much-changed starting line-up which saw experienced goalkeeper coach Ross Flitney handed the gloves.

Three other young players – Ben Scorey, Tom Bearwish and Lewis Harvey came off the bench on an eventful afternoon at a windy Meadow Park.

Having gone in 1-1 at half-time, the Spitfires eased into a 3-1 lead before Boreham Wood pegged them back for a share of the points.

It was 20-year-old Lymington lad Dennett who opened the scoring after 29 minutes, firing home his first National League goal from McKnight’s assist after Chris Zebroski had won a header.

That lead was only to last ten minutes, however, as Ralston Gabriel rounded Flitney to bring Wood back on terms.

Flitney did well to save at the feet of Jamal Fyfield to keep it all square at the break and it was Eastleigh – with young Scorey replacing Alex Wynter – who took the initiative at the start of the second half.

This time another of the youth graduates Baughan was involved in the build-up, finding ex-Saint Oscar Gobern who turned his man before netting Eastleigh’s second.

A couple of minutes later it was 3-1 to the Spitfires with ex-Basingstoke Town midfielder McKnight hammering home amid a scamble in the Wood box.

The Hertfordshire hosts were not done, however, with sub Bradley Ash pulling one back on 58 minutes before Kieran Murtagh squared things up again with a long-range strike.

Eastleigh: Ross Flitney, Alex Wynter (Ben Scorey, 46), Cav Miley, Shaun Hobson, Callum Baughan (Lewis Harvey, 87), Danny Hollands, Oscar Gobern, Jack McKnight, Ollie Dennett (Tom Bearwish, 62), Sam Matthews, Chris Zebroski. Subs (not used): Luke Southwood, Andrew Boyce.

Referee: Will Finnie.

Attendance: 502.

National League play-off eliminators (all live on BT Sport) – 
Wednesday, May 1: Match A – AFC Fylde v Harrogate Town (7pm).
Thursday, May 2: Match B –Wrexham v Eastleigh (7pm).
Saturday, May 4: Solihull Moors v Match A winners (12.30pm).
Sunday, May 5: Salford City v Match B winners (3.30pm).