Scott Quigley scored Eastleigh's first goal and laid on Paul McCallum's late second half winner as Eastleigh shattered Altrincham's proud ten-match unbeaten National League run which stretched back to early September.

McCallum's winning goal came five minutes from the end of normal time and was against the run of play - Altrincham pulling the strings before and after Chris Conn-Clarke's 64th minute penalty equaliser, without applying the killer blow.

A contrast in styles made the match an absorbing affair, full of attacking football and laced with chances.  The 2,121 crowd was left purring, writes Mike Vimpany.

Altrincham began confidently, knocking the ball about and almost striking the first blow when Elliott Osborne forced a finger-tip save from Spitfires' keeper Joe McDonnell.

Instead it was Eastleigh who took the lead - the influential Chris Maguire picking out McCallum in the box, Spitfires top scorer heading the ball downwards for Quigley to scuff his shot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Soon after and as he chances began to come thick and fast, the hugely impressive George Langston had a potential headed second goal disallowed for offside.

McDonnell's outstretched legs denied Alex Newby an equaliser before Eastleigh's Jake Taylor had a goal-bound shot cleared off the Altrincham line.

Ten minutes before the break Eastleigh suffered a massive blow when Maguire, who was orchestrating the midfield, limped off with a knee injury.

Before the half-time whistle, Lewis Baines and Conn-Clarke had chances for the visitors, while Langston was just off target for Eastleigh.

Taylor brought the best out of Ethan Ross with a venomous dipping shot, but as the minutes ticked by, so Altrincham raised the bar, with Conn-Clarke running the show.

They ought to have equalised when Alex Newby hit the upright after Oscar Rutherford had been caught in possession - but a goal was not long in coming!

It came from the penalty spot - Dior Angus being tripped during a goalmouth scramble and Conn-Clarke celebrating his upcoming 22nd birthday by sending McDonnell the wrong way from the spot.

Eastleigh dug deep, repelling the pressure and, five minutes from the end, grabbed the winner which ended Altrincham's fine unbeaten run.

Quigley surged upfield from the centre circle, holding off two defenders before laying a pass into the path of McCallum, who drilled his 13th goal of the season under Ross's body.    The Silverlake Stadium erupted.

Eastleigh assistant manager Jason Bristowe admitted: "We were relieved to get across the line in the end. It was a great effort to beat a side which came here in such good form.

"We had to tweak our formation a few times, but the players showed great resilience to pull off a fine result."