Eastleigh are no doubt the surprise package at the top of the National League. Unlikely to have been in the bookies conversations, Kelvin Davis’ side have the only 100% record in the division going into the Bank Holiday Monday fixtures.
The Spitfires received a mixed review over the summer with some going as far as tipping the side to finish in the bottom four right up to the edge of the play-offs.
The Hampshire side underachieved last season with Davis arriving a few months before the end of the campaign and steering the club to safety with games to spare.
A shocking start last season saw the end of Lee Bradbury, twelve months later it’s a much different story and Davis heads into Monday’s home game with Sutton United in much better shape than he seemingly inherited from former boss Richard Hall.
Scoring goals last season was never the Spitfires problem. Despite playing in a struggling side Paul McCallum scored 30 goals last year and was in high demand over this summer. The striker is already up and running this campaign with three goals so far.
The issues came at the other end of the pitch with only bottom placed Oxford City conceding more goals than Eastleigh, something Davis had to look to rectify with his recruitment.
So far the defensive record has been impressive but granted the season is only four games old. Within those games they have faced two sides in Altrincham and Solihull Moors who are expected to be in that conversation.
The experience Richard Brindley brings after arriving from Notts County will be vital whilst the up and coming Luis Fernandez who enjoyed a good season at Hampton & Richmond should provide some youthful exuberance.
If the Spitfires can add more goals from midfield and not simply rely on the goals of McCallum they could well be the surprise package of the season. Their next two fixtures will give a good indication as to where they might well end up this season, with unbeaten Gateshead next on their radar after Monday’s home fixture.
As clubs have shown in the past, notably Solihull Moors last season, if a run of good form materialises and doesn’t slip it’s easy to maintain a top seven place and with other sides not yet at full speed or having started a little slower, it’s down to Davis and his staff to keep the momentum going and ignore outside noise.
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