Game swung on red card, says Eastleigh boss after Chesterfield defeat

With the Spireites already 1-0 up through James Berry’s strike, McCallum received his second yellow card and was given his marching orders by referee Ryan Atkin just before half-time

Town scored two more late goals through Liam Mandeville and Will Grigg before Chris Maguire pulled one back from the penalty spot.

Hill said: “The game changed on the sending off. It wasn’t just that incident. There were periods today when we had to play football with one arm tied behind our back. What was a free-kick one way was not a free-kick the other way. But we were playing football with one arm tied behind our back before the sending off. I am bemused sometimes at what some of these people are even doing being a referee. But it is what it is."

Eastleigh had two good chances at 0-0 for Scott Quigley and McCallum, but Town controlled the second-half and were never in any real danger of not securing the win.

The victory sends the Blues 19 points clear with two games in hand and Hill was in no doubt that they would finish top.

“I thought we started off a bit nervy, but then by the first half an hour we had the two best chances,” Hill said.

"Chesterfield are a good team, you have seen the champions today, they move you about. When we played against Newport with 10-men we knew what to expect, but these are moving you about all over the pitch.

"We got to 80 minutes and I had a conundrum of whether I keep us tight and claim a potential 1-0 loss as a moral defeat or do I put two men up front? As soon as I put two men up front they have opened up the midfield and they have picked us off twice. I will take the blame for the last 10 minutes. I thought the lads were great today, I thought they worked hard.”