Eastleigh ended a run of four successive defeats by calling on all their pluck, and no little attacking enterprise and guile, to come out on top of a pulsating seven-goal thriller against bottom-of-the-table and managerless AFC Telford.

The action started with the two teams trading chances and, before long, goals. Jai Reason hit a tame first minute free-kick into the meat of a five man defensive wall then, from Ryan Higgins’ right-sided set-piece at the other end, Mike Grogan’s looping header deceived Ross Flitney in the Eastleigh goal only to clip the top of the bar on its way behind.

Andy Owens, a regular outlet on the Telford left out-muscled Dan Spence on half-way and sped away to fire a low drive past the left post but, after their next attack of note, the hosts were ahead. For the second time in a matter of minutes a Flitney kick fell for Adam Farrell on the Bucks right. Tony Gray, receiving the wideman’s pass into the box, executed a delicious back-heel into Jordan Deacey, who immediately slipped the ball back into his colleague. Gray cut inside Michael Green and smashed his shot inside Flitney’s near-post.

The Spitfires sought a quick response when Craig McAllister latched onto Reason’s volleyed pass from inside his own half. The striker, though, was prevented from getting an effort away on goal by Grogan’s well-timed tackle. Telford, nevertheless, were on top and their confidence was demonstrated when left-back Kyle Brownhill charged forward to unleash a strike that Flitney tipped round his right post.

From Higgins’ subsequent corner, Jack Midson was perfectly stationed on the line to hack Andy Owens’ headed attempt clear. Midson was soon involved in his more familiar attacking guise, injecting pace into a visiting counter by delivering a smart ball up the right for James Constable. Constable, in turn, swept in a cross that found Craig Stanley, diving in to plant a header low to Jonathan Hedge’s left to bring his team level.

After chiselling their way back into the contest with that 16th minute equaliser, the last thing Eastleigh would have wanted was to fall behind again but, seven minutes later that is exactly what they did. Reid couldn’t cut-out Higgins’ throw on the right, which ran all the way for Gray on the right by-line. The livewire attacker burrowed his way across the box, working an angle to shoot and eventually bending a precise finish inside the far post.

Grogan was on hand to stop Constable’s cross from the right reaching McAllister in the middle, before the Spitfires were dealt a further blow when Green limped off to be replaced by Dean Beckwith. For all the home team’s attacking menace, there were holes all over their defence – which had been conceding at the rate of more than two a game before today – and Eastleigh chances were beginning to flow. Hedge spooned a Midson header out to his right, before reacting sharply to smother at Ben Strevens’ feet on the follow up. Nevertheless, the away side hit back again on the brink of half-time. A slick build-up concluded with Reason rapping a pass into the box that caused some inexplicable confusion within the hosts’ ranks. With no home defender taking responsibility, the ball broke perfectly for Midson to prod home from eight yards out.

Farrell began the second period in energetic fashion for the Bucks, twice shooting across goal and wide from the right. The same player was in creative mode when he found Gray on the right to trick his way past Reid and lash a left-footed dig past the near post.

As things became more frenetic, Stanley and Evans were booked in rapid succession, but it was Eastleigh who established a precious lead just after the hour. McAllister collected an Evans throw to the right of the area, shrugged off the attentions of Andy Todd and rolled in Reason on the right. The Spitfires Number Ten spied Constable in the middle and squared for the target-man to turn home from close range.

Just minutes later Eastleigh were two in front, and it was Constable on the scoresheet again. Substitute Yemi Odubade hammered a ball forward from deep that found Midson racing between Todd and Grogan. The ex-AFC Wimbledon man held play up, before guiding a pass to his left and Constable, who finished coolly under Hedge.

Telford, though, weren’t ready to throw in the towel. Having seen Constable twice miss hat-trick opportunities, first when the striker was fractionally off-target from 10 yards and then when he blazed over after Hedge had saved from Reason, Gray earned himself the match-ball by heading Brownhill’s right-wing corner in at the front-post.

Suddenly, Richard Hill’s men were seriously under the pump. Todd’s hopeful ball into the box caused panic in the visiting ranks until Beckwith smacked behind then, at the resultant corner, a chaotic scramble ended with Farrell’s strike being desperately hacked off the line by Spence.

In the game’s very final act Gray swooped onto Owens’ flick to hit a first time effort that Flitney pushed out to his right, with Evans first on the scene to see out the danger and, finally, snuff out Telford’s sterling comeback attempt.