Eastleigh draw Southport in FA Trophy fourth round

Credit: Elliot Norton

Following Eastleigh’s 2-1 victory against last year’s winners Aldershot on Saturday, the Spitfires were entered into the fourth-round draw of the FA Trophy at number 27.

They were drawn against number 12, National League North side Southport, setting up an intriguing tie at Silverlake Stadium. 

Southport entered the competition in the second round, edging past Buxton United in a five-goal thriller with a 3-2 away victory.

They followed that up with an impressive 3-1 win over seventh-tier Leek Town on Saturday, underlining their attacking threat in the competition.

Despite their cup success, Southport currently sit 19th in the National League North and will be hoping a strong run in the FA Trophy can provide momentum in their league campaign. 

Eastleigh, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their victory over Aldershot, a result that demonstrated resilience and quality against high-level opposition.

The Spitfires have enjoyed a positive run in cup competitions in recent seasons and will be eager to make home advantage count as they aim to progress to the fifth round. 

The tie is scheduled to take place on January 10th at Silverlake Stadium, falling on the weekend after Eastleigh’s league fixture against Boston United and Southport’s trip to Scarborough. Both sides will have little time to recover, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the encounter. 

The visitors will be looking to cause a cup upset, having scored three goals in both of their previous FA Trophy matches, while Eastleigh will be keen to maintain their cup momentum and continue their journey in the competition.

With a place in the fifth round at stake, a closely contested and entertaining fixture is expected.  

One team who will be dreading not being in the draw is Aldershot, as their loss to Eastleigh on Saturday means they exit the competition they won just six months earlier at the first time of asking.