Eastleigh vs Southampton

Southampton dominated possession from the opening whistle at a packed Silverlake Stadium. Nathan Wood headed over from a corner inside the first five minutes, and Nick Townsend saved well from the same player moments later.

Caspar Jander was forced off in the ninth minute as a precaution after going down following a run and slide tackle, replaced by Joe O'Brien-Whitmarsh.

Eastleigh struck first against the run of play in the 14th minute. A deep corner was not fully cleared, and new signing Nick Akoto bundled the ball home from close range to give the hosts a surprise lead on his home debut.

Saints levelled in the 25th minute through Lewis Dobbin. Tom Fellows — causing constant problems on the right wing — received a switch of play from O'Brien-Whitmarsh, beat his man and looped a cross to the back post. Léo Scienza met it with a header that appeared to be cleared off the line, but Dobbin lashed home the rebound for his first goal since his summer move to the club.

Four minutes later, Saints were ahead. Nick Oyekunle powered a flying header into the net from close range after another excellent right-wing cross from Fellows, this time stood up to the six-yard box.

Eckert made 10 changes at half-time for a pre-planned fresh XI, with only goalkeeper George Long remaining on the pitch for the full 90 minutes.

Romeo Akachukwu sealed the win in the 78th minute. After Sam Edozie's cut-back cross bypassed Damion Downs, the ball reached Akachukwu at the far post, and the Irish Academy product finished with a composed low effort into the bottom corner.

Eastleigh's lead lasted just 11 minutes. Once Southampton equalised through Dobbin in the 25th minute, the game swung decisively. Oyekunle's header four minutes later meant Saints had turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in 15 minutes, and the National League side never recovered.

• Tom Fellows — The winger was the standout player of the first half, creating both Southampton goals with precision crosses from the right flank. The Daily Echo described him as "the architect" of the turnaround. Player of the Match.
• Lewis Dobbin — Scored his first goal since joining Southampton this summer, reacting quickest to the rebound after Scienza's header was cleared off the line. The finish settled any early nerves.
• Nick Oyekunle — The Academy youngster produced a flying header from close range to put Saints ahead, a well-taken finish that showed excellent timing and technique.
• Romeo Akachukwu — The second-half substitute capped a lively performance with a composed finish for the third goal, having earlier tested Townsend with a curling effort from the left.

Southampton used 23 players across the evening, a clear signal of Eckert's intention to spread minutes in the opening fixture. The only player to feature for the full 90 was goalkeeper George Long, now a permanent Saints signing after his loan spell. Mads Roerslev made his first appearance in eight months after recovering from a long-term injury, playing 31 minutes before a pre-planned withdrawal. The 3-1 scoreline improved on last year's 2-1 win in the same annual fixture.

For Southampton, the pre-season campaign is off to a winning start under Eckert, who took charge of his first match in front of supporters since the "Spygate" controversy. The Saints now head to Germany for a training camp with three games in nine days. Their next fixture is a pre-season friendly away at Bromley on 25 July 2026 before the Championship season begins.

For Eastleigh, it was Matt Gray's first home game in charge at the Silverlake in over 15 years. The Spitfires — who also lost 2-0 at Poole Town on 14 July — continue their pre-season build-up ahead of the National League season.

A professional, controlled performance from Southampton once they shook off early rustiness. The first XI imposed themselves after falling behind, and the squad depth showed in the second half. Eckert will be encouraged by the contributions of Fellows and the Academy products, while Eastleigh can take heart from a spirited display that troubled their Championship neighbours for 25 minutes.