Alan Devonshire: 'We should have beaten Eastleigh after all our chances'

Alan Devonshire will mull over the pluses and minuses from Saturday's 2-2 draw with Eastleigh as he looks ahead to next week's crucial looking test at Wealdstone, one of the sides just above them in the National League.

The Magpies visit the Stones on Tuesday night with the teams placed 20th and 18th in the division respectively, but, in truth, it now seems unlikely either side will be drawn into a scrap to avoid the drop.

Saturday's 2-2 draw at home to the Spitfires was a decent one on paper and moves the Magpies 10 points clear of third bottom Weymouth, however, Devonshire will feel the Magpies should possibly have won the clash having failed to take several presentable second half chances.

After an even first period the home side took the lead in spectacular fashion when Charlee Adams drew comparisons with Paolo Di Canio's famous strike for West Ham as he scissor-kicked the ball into the top corner from just outside the area.

The game could have been won in the early stages of the second half as the Magpies poured forward in search of a second. Sam Barratt struck the inside of the post with the goal at his mercy and Dan Sparkes fired against the same upright just seconds later, but Eastleigh survived, and a former Magpie - Danny Whitehall - levelled matters for the visitors with around 20 minutes to go.

Ryan Hill then side-footed home what look like being an ill-deserved winner until Reece Smith made the most of a fortunate deflection - following persistent play from Josh Kelly on the left - to slide home United's equaliser in the 87th minute.

It was the former academy player's first senior goal at York Road and a draw felt just about right at the end of another absorbing 90 minutes of play.

However, afterwards, the Magpies manager was left wondering about what might have been.

“If we had got the second goal when we were pressing and right on top of them, we would’ve won the game,” he said.

“Especially when we hit the post and had all of them chances – if the ball went in, we wouldn’t have got a point today.

“Of course, it didn’t, and they ended up going down the other end and scoring before getting themselves 2-1 in front.

“But listen, we got a point, and we move on. There are pluses and there are minuses today.”

Devonshire added: “The squad is getting fitter, and more boys are coming back. Bliss (Nathan Blissett) played 60 minutes and Sammy (Sam Barratt) also played an hour today.

“He was able to do that for the first time in six weeks. He needed the minutes in his legs so hopefully we can get better from this.

“After this break, we’ve got eight games in about four weeks, so we will see how we go.”

United's trip to Wealdstone on Tuesday evening is a re-arranged match following the postponement of the sides' home and away matches on Boxing Day and January 2 due to COVID cases in the Stones camp.

Since then, the Magpies have picked up 12 points from seven matches to lift themselves clear of the bottom three.

They may still be fourth from bottom, level on points with Altrincham and a point adrift of the Stones, but the sides below them - Weymouth, King's Lynn, and Dover - are yet to show the form which suggests they can haul themselves out of the relegation places.

United also have plenty of winnable games both home and away to look forward to between now and the end of the season, and - with key players returning to form and fitness following injury - it seems unlikely they won't reach the 50-point mark required for safety.

United's game at Grosvenor Vale on Tuesday kicks off at 7.45pm.