Spitfires snatch victory at the death at the Laithwaite

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Eastleigh picked up just their second win in the last 12 games with a last gasp winner from Dan Smith to end a miserable week for Woking after their defeat to Kings Lynn on Monday.

Before kick-off there was a minutes applause for former Woking player and Club legend Trevor Baron, who passed away this week. Baron made 359 appearances for the Cards and scored 57 goals in his time with the club.

It was a bright opening from the Cards with Jermaine Anderson slipping at the vital moment when about to pull the trigger and Max Kretzschmar’s cross was tipped over by Ross Flitney.

Eastleigh’s best chance of the opening half fell to Ronan Silva, who found himself unmarked in the box but somehow put his header well wide of the mark.

Central defender Moussa Diarra almost broke the deadlock for the hosts when his right footed volley hit the post shortly before the interval.

Deep into stoppage time it was the Cards who looked to be going into the break with their noses in front after good work from Inih Effiong who held the ball up for Anderson, but his shot was cleared off the line.

Effiong featured in the action once again at the start of the second half when his shot was parried away by Flitney.

In the 65^th minute the deadlock was broken when a ball was played over the top for leading scorer Danny Whitehall to chip Craig Ross for his tenth of the season.

The Spitfires lead lasted just three minutes though when Jack Roles picked the ball up 25 yards out with his shot dipping into the top right hand corner and wrong-footing Flitney.

If anybody thought both sets of players would be out for an end of season stroll, the competitiveness was clearly on show with both sides pushing for a winner.

The match threatened to boil over after a scuffle that involved both sets of players which resulted in referee Paul Johnson showing the yellow card to four Eastleigh players.

With a lengthy stoppage due to the scuffle, eight added minutes were shown on the board during which time Woking were reduced to ten men, when Jamar Loza was shown a red card for kicking out on Brennan Camp.

There was still more drama to come in the 96^th minute when Smith had a simple tap in for the winner after Sam Smart’s shot came off the post to snatch victory.

Woking 1  Eastleigh 2

Peter Moore at the Laithwaite Community Stadium

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