Eastleigh made a splash in their first season since promotion but ultimately missed out on what would have been a sensational achievement in getting into the Football League. The Spitfires came up with the tag of big-spenders, having dominated the Conference South in the previous season, and they certainly went for quality and experience over the close season. James Constable, Jack Midson, Paul Reid and Craig Stanley were signed in to bring extra depth to an already pretty formidable squad, much to the envy of the rest of the league. There was already a certain degree of expectation on the Hampshire club before a ball was kicked and they did not disappoint in their first few games. Three wins in the opening five games and just the two losses in the opening 11 constituted a pretty decent and encouraging start by the team. Richard Hill set up the team to rely on the presence of free-scoring players like Constable and Midson up front, while the muscle and flair in midfield was providing a good base as well. But there was at times lack of consistency from this Eastleigh side and they were prone to throwing some woeful showings, especially on the road, in the early months of the season. A comprehensive 3:0 loss at Wrexham somewhat shook the confidence before a return to form in October and early November saw four wins and a draw in a run of five games. The Spitfires were generally orbiting in the top ten but not really cracking the play-off slots due to the failure to really go on a long run without a loss. Hill was utilising the squad well but there was at times a lack of balance and settled look about the starting 11, the manager took keen to chop and change after one bad result. But wins became more common towards the turn of the year and Eastleigh did finish 2014 in fifth place, having picked a resounding win at a tough place like Braintree in their best away performance of the season. But consistency remained an issue in the early weeks of the new year as Grimsby, Altrincham and Torquay all defeated the Hampshire side in their own backyard in the space of the month, ending a long unbeaten run at home that had stretched since the start of the season. But Eastleigh bounced back well and four excellent wins in a row, including a nearly-perfect performance in a 2:1 win at Bristol Rovers away from home, moved them back into the top five. They looked determined to hold on to that spot for the rest of the season but some hiccups occurred again. Three losses in the space of five games saw them drop out of the play-off zone at a key stage of the season. However, Eastleigh found the strength to respond and a five-game winning run towards the end of the season proved enough to secure the fourth spot in the table. They were pitted against an excellent Grimsby side in the play-offs and the lack of experience in these big games proved the difference over the two legs. Grimsby proved much better in both games as they coasted to a 5:1 aggregate win. It was a harsh lesson for Hill and his side but they have made tremendous progress this season and should be among the main contenders for promotion next season.
