Poole Town vs Eastleigh

Poole Town, competing in the Southern League Premier South (tier 7), started brightly against their fifth-tier visitors. Inside the opening five minutes, Antonio Diaz's corner found Josh McCormick at the back post, but the defender couldn't keep his header down. Eastleigh goalkeeper Nick Townsend was forced into an early save soon after as the Dolphins maintained their tempo.

Eastleigh's first chance arrived in the ninth minute when a free-kick was headed goalwards before being cleared off the line by the Poole defence. The Dolphins responded immediately, with Diaz again the creator — his cross found Joe Oastler, whose knockdown fell to Ryan Campbell, but the captain's half-volley drifted just wide.

The breakthrough came in the 23rd minute. After a series of blocked efforts inside the Eastleigh penalty area, Ezio Touray regained possession and was brought down by an Eastleigh trialist. The referee pointed to the spot, and Touray stepped up to send Townsend the wrong way, scoring his first goal in front of the Tatnam faithful since returning to the club.

Half-time: Poole Town 1-0 Eastleigh

Joint managers Pat Suraci and Joe Lea made seven substitutions at the interval, handing home debuts to Brandon Goodship and Sam Jackson. Eastleigh responded by controlling the early second-half possession, and Harry Sidwell forced a sharp save from Adam Parkes in the 57th minute with a low driven effort.

Eastleigh boss Matt Gray made eight changes in the 62nd minute, introducing last week's goalscorers Aaron Blair and Hady Ghandour. Ghandour came close to an equaliser in the 73rd minute, but his header from Ben Drake's cross flashed just wide.

The game was settled in the 81st minute. Two young trialists introduced for Poole in the 75th minute won a corner, which was worked short to Selim Saied. He found Henry Spalding on the edge of the area, and the midfielder curled an excellent finish into the far corner to double the lead.

Dan Carr nearly added a third when his dangerous cross flashed across the face of goal, while Eastleigh's final chance — a deflected long-range strike — went just wide.

Full-time: Poole Town 2-0 Eastleigh

Touray's 23rd-minute penalty was the moment that settled the contest. Awarded after the striker was fouled following a scramble in the box, the goal rewarded Poole's sustained early pressure and forced Eastleigh to chase the game. The National League side dominated possession after the break but created only two clear chances — Parkes' save from Sidwell and Ghandour's header — and never truly threatened to cancel out the deficit.

Ezio Touray (Poole Town) — The striker led the line with purpose, won and converted the penalty, and linked play effectively with Ike Hill and Antonio Diaz. His physical presence unsettled the Eastleigh defence throughout his 45-minute shift.

Henry Spalding (Poole Town) — Introduced at half-time, the midfielder produced the game's standout moment: a curling first-time finish from the edge of the box that left Townsend with no chance.

Adam Parkes (Poole Town) — The goalkeeper made two crucial saves in the second half, denying Sidwell from range and a low free-kick routine, keeping the clean sheet intact.

Nick Akoto (Eastleigh) — The new signing, making his debut, was a bright spark for the Spitfires in the first half, comfortable on the ball and winning his duels.

Player of the Match: Ezio Touray (Poole Town)

Poole Town's 2-0 win represents a result that flips the expected hierarchy — a side from the seventh tier beating one from the fifth. The underlying story is one of pre-season fitness across two very different schedules. Poole's first-half XI, many of whom had played 90 minutes against Cardiff City U21s on 11 July, pressed aggressively and created the better chances before the interval. Eastleigh controlled roughly 60% of possession in the second half but failed to register a shot on target after Parkes' save in the 57th minute. The Dolphins' defensive shape, re-organised at half-time with seven substitutions, absorbed Eastleigh's pressure without cracking.

For Poole Town, this is a second encouraging pre-season result after a 1-1 draw with Cardiff City U21s on 11 July. The Dolphins have shown they can compete with higher-tier opposition, which bodes well for the Southern League Premier South campaign ahead. Next up for Suraci and Lea's side is a trip to Cams Alders Stadium to face Fareham Town on Tuesday 21 July (19:45).

For Eastleigh under new manager Matt Gray (appointed May 2026), this was a second pre-season defeat after a 3-2 loss to Horsham on 10 July. Gray — who previously led Sutton United to promotion to League Two — made wholesale changes in both friendlies as he assesses his squad. The Spitfires next face Congresbury in another pre-season fixture before the National League season begins.

A thoroughly professional pre-season display from Poole Town, who were sharper, more organised and more clinical than their National League opponents. Touray's penalty settled early nerves, Spalding's finish provided the gloss, and the clean sheet will please Suraci and Lea. Eastleigh's disjointed second-half performance suggests Gray's squad-building is still a work in progress, but that is precisely what July friendlies are for.