Eastleigh Win Out East

Boston United 1-2 Eastleigh (National League)

It's been a cold frosty start to the new year and as I wake up this first Saturday of 2026 I'm soon checking my phone if today's game between Boston and Eastleigh is on.

They've had the covers on overnight at the Jakemans Stadium and the head groundsman is optimistic, pitch in his opinion playable but the Referee will confirm upon his arrival at 12pm. The Eastleigh team have been staying in the area so every chance will be given to get this game on.

The Hampshire based Spitfires are in their twelfth successive season in the National League. Changing their name from Swaythling Athletic in 1980, they found success at the start of the Millennium and rose from the Wessex League to the Conference South in three seasons, gaining promotion to the fifth tier in 2014 after winning the title.

Ever since they have been relatively solid at the level and are unbeaten in four just four points above Boston, fourteenth in the table, the Pilgrims looking over their shoulders, eighteenth just a couple of points above the drop zone.

Graham Coughlan's side lost at home to relegation rivals Brackley Town last time out, they have won just one in nine which was a 3-0 defeat of another of the division's strugglers Morecambe.

Today will be testing, a win could help push the Pilgrims away from danger, a defeat may draw them in further.

I'm out for lunch, the cold crisp frost is thick around my home where the black ice is very slippy, but further east I'm told by friends they've had no snow, as I head out of my estate the sun shimmers on a whitened floor that is thinning every mile I take, by the time I'm on the A52 I'm feeling optimistic that we'll all be ok.

The Venue

I've pulled up in Wyberton for 1:30pm having already checked my phone for updates, it seems the game is on and there's no evidence of the white stuff around here, just a bitter cold chill in the air as I walk towards the ground, trapper hat on my head, huge wind breaker coat keeping me wrapped and toasty, I've brought a portable heated seat cover and hand warmers for some extra warmth.

The sun is out as I enter the ticket office where I wait to be served, then through the turnstiles, scanned in, a much needed wee before a brew and a Twix, I'm up the stairs to my seat at the back of the modern main seated stand, I noticed earlier upon arrival that there's some works going on behind the goal to my right, Boston United's Community Stadium is a three sided venue right now, but by next year it looks like the fourth stand will be finally added. The club have been at the Jakemans since 2020 when they moved from their long old home at York Street.

Slowly filling are the stands and so to the media area around me, Radio Lincs, the Eastleigh lads, a couple of scouts, one who's working with Hartlepool United this season, one who's from Grimsby who's brought his lad with him to watch. "You've not been here for ages" he says. It's the first Boston game I've covered since they drew with Scunthorpe in mid October.

The Game

There's a minute's silence before the match, a sombre moment to reflect on those of the Boston United family lost during the last year.

The Pilgrims are in retro looking orange and black, I like the simplicity of their kit, the Eastleigh side look like a 1980's Leicester City with white pinstripes on their blue fronted shirts. I should be thinking of Gary Lineker or Alan Smith but I can't get Steve Lynex out of my head.

The away side managed by Kelvin Davies start well. 3-5-2 in formation they look to set Aaron Blair and Harvey Saunders in attack free at every opportunity, midfielder Lloyd Humphreys playing in a back three is launching the ball forward right footed as often as possible, but in Waite, Evans and Lundstram they have plenty of the ball centrally too.

Boston are dogged in their start, my favourite player Frankie Maguire has a white headband on today, running around and falling over, not convincing the Referee, but he's in the mix of things, crossing an early corner to Gallagher who forces a flying save by Townsend, also in the mix is big Lenell John-Lewis being man handled up front and winning a foul off Eweka who in return is carded, the resulting free kick pinballs inside the area, shouts for handball are ignored as a shot cannons off a defender, the ball bounces to Sloggett who does what his name suggests he should do, Boston one up after nine minutes.

It's a good game this, open and sparse from attack to attack as the Referee lets some go, you feel either team can score at any point and it takes fifteen minutes for Eastleigh to equalise, a really neat move ending with Harris crossing from the left to Saunders who heads down to send 69 singing supporters wild.

The away fans have sung non stop and deserved their celebration in the sun on the far side, as the sky starts to glow a similar orange to the Boston shirts.

The Score

I say at half time I didn't expect it to be quite so entertaining, the scout next to me says "it'll probably be much scrappier in the second half".

You feel both teams would be happy with a point today but Boston come out again on the front foot, another corner offers danger as Lankshear forces Townsend again into action, but as the game starts to slip into some middle minute mediocrity a long ball forward by Eastleigh should be cleared by Boston goalkeeper Rhys Lovett, he gets his clearance all wrong and Aaron Blair has suddenly an open goal to walk into, some last ditched defending can't save the day, Eastleigh have been given a gift to take the lead.

Shortly after the hour, Ken Aboh comes on for Boston but at the same time Kelvin Davies makes three changes, completely reshuffling his side who then go to 4-4-2, this helps them manage the later minutes brilliantly as Boston fail to lay a glove, Aboh shows promise but chances are limited, I'm surprised Graham Coughlan leaves it until 88 minutes to make a further attacking change, when he does, Jordy Hiwula instantly forces a free kick on the edge of the area, Matty Carson who's scored from these areas before, curls agonisingly over.

The Stars

A very good away performance by Eastleigh who had Nick Townsend to thank for a couple of important stops.

Defensively they were physical in big Aaron Pierre and Temitope Eweka with Lloyd Humphries moving into midfield from his right sided defensive position to manage the last half hour with more steel and substance centrally.

I liked some moments from Sam Pearson at right wing back, Archie Harris very good down the left, Will Spiers on loan from Cardiff, brilliant when he came on, whilst in midfield James Waite, Kieran Evans and Josh Lundstram all had plenty of work ethic, decent fight with a bit of quality on the ball.

The front pair also doing well, Harvey Saunders getting a well taken goal as did Aaron Blair, who's a hard working runner and ponytailed irritant who I really like the look of, he's done well since a summer move from Maidstone were he also scored a lot of goals.

As for Boston, they weren't bad at all, plenty of promise in the first half, they have good young players in Alex Lankshear who can play left back or centre half, in Connor Teale who can play right back or centre half, in Oisin Gallagher who on loan from Lincoln, looks to be ever more accomplished at this level the more he plays, he can play centre midfield or centre half, a big lad who's decent on the ball, rumour is that Lincoln City see him more as a defender and that's where they prefer Boston to play him.

I like Frankie Maguire's endeavour, Kieren Donnelly looks like an honest centre forward and that honesty will always lead to chances, Ken Aboh who's on loan from Norwich City came on and made a real positive impact, he goes back soon but I would like to see him play more at the level as he's certainly got ability to beat players, Boston happy to give him the ball and let him work his magic.

The Verdict

There's plenty of worse teams in the division than Boston this season, but Eastleigh aren't one of them, they were relatively solid across the park and I was most impressed how they switched formations with half an hour to go, and saw the game out convincingly, they only had a couple of chances, which they took, whilst they had one corner and defended a dozen from the home side, defensively strong, they look capable of hurting opponents on the break, and they'll be more than comfortable in the middle of the National League pack this season.

This time last year Boston were a million miles worse off than they are now, at least their heads are currently above water, no win in four is a slight concern, and they have Braintree next who are just a point below them, win that and troubles ease, lose it, and they may start to panic, but my advise is don't, because I do see this side winning more than enough points to survive, they just need a run of good form to lift them away from troubles.

The Teams

Boston United: Rhys Lovett, Marcel Lavinier (Matty Carson 44), Connor Teale, Adam Crowther, Alex Lankshear, Oisin Gallagher, Greg Sloggett, Jordan Richards, Frankie Maguire (Jordy Hiwula 88), Kieren Donnelly (Ken Aboh 63), Lenell John-Lewis.

Eastleigh: Nick Townsend, Luke Humphries, Aaron Pierre, Temitope Eweka, Sam Pearson (Will Spiers 63), Josh Lundstram (Angel Wariuh 89), Kieron Evans, James Waite (Luey Giles 64), Archie Harris, Harvey Saunders (Paul McCallum 63), Aaron Blair.

3:00pm Kick Off. Saturday 3rd January 2026, Jakemans Stadium, Boston (att 1,678).