Preview: Eastleigh vs. Oldham Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

In a lucifer that could impact the contention for promotion to League Two, Eastleigh are acceptable to big Oldham Athletic astatine Silverlake Stadium connected Tuesday successful their 25th National League crippled of 2024-25.

While the hosts are successful 12th spot with 34 points, they are lone 5 points and 5 spots from the last promotion playoff spot, whereas the visitors are successful 5th spot with 43 points from 22 matchweeks but were beaten 2-1 by Hartlepool United connected January 1.

Match preview

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Eastleigh drew 1-1 with third-placed Barnet connected New Year's Day past clip retired successful the league, and they volition beryllium satisfied with a constituent considering Barnet dominated astir statistics, accumulating 71% possession, producing 11 shots compared to Eastleigh's 4 and playing 444 much passes than their opponents.

Manager Kelvin Davis's broadside person scored 33 goals and conceded 31 times successful the league this season, and these are the division's 12th champion violative and 11th champion antiaircraft records

The hosts are acceptable to play Oldham connected January 7 and past play the reverse fixture connected January 11, and they person won one, drawn 1 and mislaid 2 of their 4 games against Tuesday's opponents.

Davis's squad person proven hard to bushed for immoderate clip considering they are unbeaten successful their past 9 matches, drafting 5 and winning four.

However, it should beryllium noted that Eastleigh's location signifier is concerning fixed they person triumphed successful conscionable 1 of their 8 astir caller matches, losing 3 successful that period.

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The visitors travel into the clash having mislaid against ninth-placed Hartlepool, a crippled successful which they took the pb successful the 20th infinitesimal but conceded doubly from adjacent scope and trailed 2-1 by the 53rd minute.

Boss Micky Mellon criticised his players for struggling successful the last third, saying: "The players person got the plaudits and perfectly deservedly so, conscionable contiguous for immoderate crushed we conscionable didn't bash enough. Then with the shot we benignant of huffed and puffed but truly didn't look similar we had anybody that could possibly unfastened the door."

Oldham person 2 games successful manus connected first-placed York, who person 51 points and inhabit the league's lone automatic promotion spot, and besides person 3 games successful manus connected fourth-placed Gateshead and third-placed Barnet.

Mellon's broadside had won the 3 games anterior to their decision against Hartlepool by a cumulative people of 8-6, and it volition nary uncertainty interest him that his squad person conceded 2 goals successful 5 of their past six fixtures.

The Lactics' grounds distant from location is poor, with the nine having been defeated successful 3 of their 4 astir caller outings connected the roadworthy and winning conscionable erstwhile successful their past five.

Eastleigh National League form:

Eastleigh signifier (all competitions):

Oldham Athletic National League form:

Oldham Athletic signifier (all competitions):

Team News

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Eastleigh could sanction a akin starting XI to the broadside that drew with Barnet, truthful expect goalkeeper Joe McDonnell to beryllium shielded by centre-backs Lloyd Humphries, Ludwig Francillette and Niall Maher.

Jake Taylor, Dominic Gape and Angel Waruih appeared successful midfield past clip out, and they could commencement down strikers Tyrese Shade and Paul McCallum.

As for Oldham, they whitethorn prime a backmost 3 featuring Reagan Ogle, Charlie Raglan and Emmanuel Monthe successful beforehand of Matthew Hudson.

Josh Lundstram is apt to commencement astatine the basal of a midfield three, with Dan Gardner and Sam Clucas positioned somewhat further ahead.

Josh Stones partnered James Norwood successful a beforehand 2 past clip retired against Hartlepool, but Mike Fondop-Talum is astir definite to travel successful for Stones fixed helium is the team's halt scorer successful the league.

Eastleigh imaginable starting lineup:
McDonnell; Humphries, Francillette, Maher; Brindley, Taylor, Gape, Waruih, Boutin; Shade, McCallum

We say: Eastleigh 2-1 Oldham Athletic

Oldham's mediocre antiaircraft grounds successful caller weeks should beryllium origin for interest amongst fans, and it would beryllium astonishing if they kept a cleanable expanse connected Tuesday.

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