Paul McCallum bagged his second National League hat-trick of the season as Eastleigh shared the spoils of an eight-goal New Year's Day bonanza against Dagenham & Redbridge, who had beaten them 4-1 just a few days earlier.

He had looked set to return to his South London home with the match ball, but Spitfires had their 4-3 lead wiped out by a Daggers equaliser ten minutes from the end of normal time.

Despite being without his strike partner Scott Quigley for the third successive match, McCallum scored a hat-trick inside 28 minutes either side of half-time, writes Mike Vimpany.

But the Spitfires had to come from behind before McCallum opened his account - Tom Eastman (32) and Jeff Rees scoring in quick succession to give Dagenham a two-goal lead.

McCallum responded with a goal in the 40th minute to bring the Spitfires back into it. Bailey Clements squared the ball to him before he slotted to ball home into the bottom left corner to reignite the Spitfires.

On the stroke of half-time McCallum got Eastleigh's 2,000 fans on their feet with a trademark equaliser - Chris Maguire the provider from a free kick.

A third Eastleigh goal in ten minutes came soon after, with Maguire picking out Jayden Harris to head Spitfires into a 3-2 lead.  Some turnaround.

Home joy didn't last long. Within six minutes Rees had scored his second and Daggers, managed by former Eastleigh player and manager Ben Strevens, were level 3-3.

Midway through the second period McCallum completed his hat-trick with Lee Hodson, late of Scottish League soccer, setting up the National League's lead 25-goal marksman with his third of the game.

But the scoring didn't finish there. Ten minutes from time Inih Effiong scored Dagenham's fourth equalising goal.

Now all Spitfire eyes turn to Saturday's FA Cup third round tie against League Two Newport County - a match which will see 1,000 or so Eastleigh fans cross the Severn Bridge to support their team.
Eastleigh's ticket allocation sold out in no time, as did the ten supporters' coaches that will head to Rodney Parade.

Will Evans, with 15 goals, is County's top scorer, while the Welsh side expect to include Southampton's Lewis Pain, who played twice on loan at Stoneham Lane early last season. 

Pain scored Newport's opening goal in the 4-1 cup second round replay win at Barnet.