Barrow AFC 0 Eastleigh 3

The two-week break from action did not bring a change of fortune for Barrow AFC, who fell to their sixth loss in a row in very disappointing fashion against Eastleigh.

While there was encouragement in the previous match at Ebbsfleet, there was no honour in this latest defeat, the Bluebirds’ heaviest under Ian Evatt, with the Spitfires all too comfortable at Holker Street.

The nature of their opener, from two-goal hero Paul McCallum was of particular frustration, as yet again AFC allowed their opponents to go ahead in a match without them having to work too hard to do so.

While there's set to be big news about the club's future to announced next week, supporters will be looking worriedly over their shoulders, as the gap between Barrow and the National League relegation zone is narrowing.

There were five changes from the match at Ebbsfleet United two weeks ago, with Curacao midfielder Kemy Agustien making his debut after signing on a deal until January on Thursday.

There was a first start in three months for striker Rhys Turner, after his recovery from a fractured foot, while captain Josh Granite, Dan Jones and Tyler Smith all returned from injury.

After a scrappy start to the match, Eastleigh went ahead after 14 minutes through a goal that was as ‘route one’ as you’ll see, as they made the most of having a strong wind behind them.

A long kick downfield by goalkeeper Max Stryjek ran all the way to striker McCallum, who beat the offside trap before beating the stranded Joel Dixon to the ball and looping hit over into the net.

It was quickly panic stations in the Barrow penalty area again when the ball ran to Cav Miley on the right, with Connor Brown just about sorting his feet out in time to clear.

Jones, who was booked in the seventh minute, would have had his heart in his mouth when he put in a poor challenge on Ben Williamson 25 yards from his own goal, but fortunately for him, the referee chose to be lenient.

AFC just could not get going in the first half and they fell further behind three minutes before the break, as Mark Yeates’ free kick was headed back across goal by McCallum and Williamson tapped in from a few yards.

The hosts really needed the half-time whistle, after a 45 minutes where they weren’t able to trouble Stryjek with a shot on target.

Evatt made two substitutions in an attempt to inject some life into his side, with John Rooney and Josh Kay replacing Jones and Luke Burgess.

However, Eastleigh killed off the match as a contest three minutes after the restart, as Yeates swung in a cross from the right that found an unmarked McCallum, who stooped to head in his second of the afternoon.

The Spitfires then had three players booked in the space of four minutes, as they prevented the Bluebirds from finding any way to get themselves a foothold.

Kay finally gave AFC their first shot on target after 64 minutes, when his low effort from 25 yards was comfortably held by Stryjek before Jack Hindle became the hosts’ third and final sub of the game.

Stryjek was then forced into more strenuous action when a good run by Hindle led to Erico Sousa unleashing a terrific effort that the ‘keeper did well to push over.

Eastleigh almost added further misery when another Yeates free kick was flicked by Andrew Boyce at the near post, with Dixon saving smartly with his foot.

It would’ve struggled to make the mood any flatter if it had gone in, with the only plus side that the Bluebirds won’t have to wait another fortnight to put this poor showing behind them.

Barrow AFC (4-1-4-1): Dixon, Brown, Wilson, Granite, Norrington-Davies, Jones (Rooney 45), Sousa, Agustien, Burgess (Kay 45), Turner (Hindle 66), Smith

Subs not used: Blyth, Molyneux

Eastleigh (4-4-2): Stryjek, Hare, Johnson, Wynter, Boyce, Yeates (Gobern 85), Hollands, Jones, Miley, McCallum (Bearwish 89), Williamson (Dennett 80)

Subs not used: Baughan, Flitney

Referee: Gareth Rhodes

Attendance: 1,102