Playoff Potential: Eastleigh FC take on Solihull Moors

Eastleigh FC will travel to face Solihull Moors in a potential playoff decider at The ARMCO Arena, in tonight’s Vanarama National League fixture.

With six points separating the sides coming into this matchday, the Spitfires who sit in 12^th can close the gap to three points and potentially climb to 8^th in the league should they get a victory over the Moors.

However, if the home side come out victorious, they will remain in 6^th but tied on points with 5^th place Oldham should results go their way.

Both teams come into this game following a weekend break due to postponed games across the league.

For Eastleigh, they will be wanting to replicate their last outing against today’s opponents, which was a 2-1 win for the Hampshire based side at the Silverlake.

Solihull Moors manager Andy Whing will look for his side to continue their five-game winning streak in the league, which started on the 10^th of December at home to Aldershot.

The away side, under the management of ex-Southampton FC goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, will be hoping for his side to maintain their eight game unbeaten league run, whilst aiming to win their first game since the 21^st of December.

The North Stand at the Silverlake stadium. Photograph: Daniel Quina Brito.

The Spitfires will go into this game without their midfield loanee Alex Stepien-Iwumene who has been recalled by his parent club Derby, due to a busy upcoming schedule for the Rams.

The home side will hope to utilise their attacking duo of Jack Finlay Stevens and Conor Wilkinson, who have scored 24 goals between them this season, to get past the opposition backline.

Eastleigh will look to striker Paul McCallum, who scored in the reverse fixture and was the golden boot winner of the National League last season, as well as full back Richard Brindley who has provided a direct goal contribution in each of their last four games.

In a preview interview for the Eastleigh FC YouTube channel, Davis said: “It will be a tough test, they are on a good run at home they would probably be favourites, but we enjoy those moments, we enjoy going away to tough grounds, seeing where we are and seeing what we’re like as a group.

“We’ll go there fully prepared, fully determined probably not as strong of a squad as we’d like but that’s football.”

As both teams will have ambitions for getting promoted through the playoffs, this fixture could have lasting effects on the way the rest of the season plays out for both sides.