By Brad Saxton | Image by Graham Scrambler / Eastleigh FC
Ahead of this weekend’s Vanarama National League fixture on the South Coast, we take a look at this weekend’s opposition, Eastleigh FC.
Current Form
The club head into this weekend’s game with only one defeat in their last four games. That defeat came as a 3-1 defeat away at Hartlepool United in their most recent league game.
They’ve made a promising start has been made at home this season in the league, which has seen them record three wins and three draws from seven games. Their only league defeat at home this season came as a 6-0 defeat to high-flyers Gateshead.
Last weekend saw them secure their place in the Emirates FA Cup 1st Round following a 1-0 win at home against National League South side Dover Athletic, with Charlie Carter netting the winner in his final appearance for the club ahead of his recent move to fellow National League side Dorking Wanderers.
Manager: Richard Hill
Hill recently returned to the dugout at the Silverlake Stadium for a third time in August as caretaker manager after replacing Lee Bradbury, before he was given the job permanently a month later.
His long affiliation with the club started in September 2012, when the club were a National League South side. In his first season, he guided the club to the playoffs, before going on to win the league title the following year in the 2013/14 season. His success with the club didn’t stop there, as during the club’s first season in the National League, he guided Eastleigh to the playoff semi-finals.
After resigning as the club’s manager in September 2015, he would return for a second spell at Eastleigh between February and December 2017, before then coming back to the club once again as a Director, before stepping into his current role for a third time.
Top Scorer: Paul McCallum
The former Dagenham and Redbridge striker has had a fine start to life on the South Coast following his decision to rejoin Eastleigh for a second time last summer.
A forward with a rich playing history at this level, the 30-year-old has netted ten goals in his opening eleven games this season for Eastleigh in the National League.
The former West Ham United youth-product has become a proven goal scorer in the National League over recent years, becoming a regular goal scorer during his spells at Solihull Moors and Barnet.
One To Watch: Jake Taylor
The central midfielder is another new addition to Eastleigh’s squad for this season having joined the club in July.
The 31-year-old has a proud history of playing in the Football League, having played over 250 games for Exeter City between 2016 and 2021, and most recently over 100 games for Stevenage between 2021 and 2023.
He has represented both the Welsh National U19’s and U21’s, as well as making a single cap for the Welsh National Team during the 2013/14 season.
Head to Head
Eastleigh are unbeaten in their last two games against the Minstermen, having achieved a league double over us last season. Our most recent meeting was at the Silverlake Stadium on the 28th February where the hosts ran out 1-0 winners at the Silverlake Stadium.
The other meeting between the two sides last season came four games into the new season, where a John McKiernan header was the difference between the two sides at the LNER Community Stadium.
In the four meetings that have been played between the two club’s since we first went head-to-head in 2016, The Minstermen have only won once which came in a 3-1 win at Bootham Crescent on the 4th March 2017. A Jon Parkin brace and a late goal from Vadaine Oliver secured a crucial win for City that day.
Image by Tom Poole.