Six Defeats and a New Kit: Eastleigh Spitfires End Pre-Season on a Sour Note
Rakish Bingham's close-range finish sent the Spitfires home empty-handed — but a giant new striker and a Spitfire-anniversary away kit are reasons to stay hopeful.
Six Down, One to Go — Now the Real Business Starts
Eastleigh FC wrapped up a bruising pre-season with yet another defeat on Saturday, losing 1-0 to National League South side Farnham Town in their final warm-up fixture. Rakish Bingham's 36th-minute strike, converted from close range after Brandon Mason's cut-back, was the only goal of a tightly contested match at Farnham's ground. That result means the Spitfires head into the new National League season having lost all six of their pre-season games — not exactly the momentum Matt Gray's side were hoping for.
The Match Itself: Narrow, Scrappy, Frustrating
It wasn't all doom and gloom in Surrey. The Spitfires showed plenty of fight, with goalkeeper Nick Townsend producing an excellent save to deny Billy Clifford after the break, and Jordan Cousins making a crucial block to stop Trae Cook-Appiah from doubling the hosts' lead. Townsend also dealt comfortably with Owen Dean's first-half effort, keeping his side in the game throughout.
In the attacking third, Josh Lundstram — making his first pre-season appearance after recovering from injury — forced a smart save after a promising move involving Harry Sidwell and new signing Reece Johnson. Manager Gray brought on Max Dickov at the interval to manage Lundstram's workload carefully, a sensible call given the season opener is just days away.
Late on, several Academy products were thrown into the mix, with Liam McFarlane going closest to an equaliser with a powerful strike that was well saved by the Farnham goalkeeper. The Spitfires pressed hard but couldn't find the breakthrough.
The Big Man Is Staying
Here's the news that will genuinely lift spirits among the Silverlake faithful: trialist Oliver Hawkins has signed permanently for the club. The towering 6'6" striker spent the majority of pre-season on trial in SO50 and clearly did enough to earn a deal, with standout performances convincing the club to make the move official.
New signing Reece Johnson also made his first start in the Farnham defeat, joining Hawkins in getting competitive minutes under his belt ahead of next weekend's curtain-raiser. Gray now has a squad that is battle-tested — if not exactly battle-hardened — heading into the new campaign.
A Kit Worth Talking About
Off the pitch, the club made headlines of a different kind this week with the unveiling of their 2026/27 away kit. The shirt commemorates the 90th anniversary of the first Supermarine Spitfire taking flight — a genuinely special piece of history for a club whose identity is so tied to that iconic aircraft.
In a moment of real flair, the launch took place at Southampton Airport, the historic site where the Spitfire made its maiden flight back in 1936. It's exactly the kind of bold, community-rooted gesture that reminds fans why they love this club — even after a summer of pre-season defeats.
What Happens Next
All eyes now turn to next weekend, when the Spitfires kick off their National League campaign at the Silverlake Stadium against Gateshead. With Lundstram back from injury, Hawkins signed up front, and a squad that has at least had a thorough workout this summer, Gray will be hoping six defeats in pre-season is simply the price of building something new — and that the real Eastleigh turns up when it actually matters.
Source: Spitfires finiSpitfires finish pre-season with 6 loses as Farnham Town wins 1-0