**Southend roll into Hampshire riding a wave, and Eastleigh are in serious freefall.** This is a clash between Form™ and the yips. 🔴

Southend are 3W-1D in their last five with a demolition of Gateshead (6-1) still fresh, while Eastleigh have won just once in the same stretch and got hammered 1-4 by Harrogate. The H2H favors the visitors too — Southend own 6 wins to Eastleigh's 3 over the last decade.

Key storylines:

- **Southend's firepower** has been lethal; they've scored 11 in three recent home/away wins and won't be intimidated by Silverlake
- **Eastleigh's defensive fragility** — shipped four to Harrogate and two to Sutton; **Hawkins** and **Stone** need shield or cover
- **Oldaker and Coker** running Southend's midfield will control tempo if Eastleigh can't press early

Expected lineups:

- **Eastleigh**: N. Townsend, I. Bakare, T. Eweka, N. Khumbeni, T. Dobson-Ventura, H. Sidwell, J. Lundstram, A. Blair, M. Dickov, B. Stone, O. Hawkins
- **Southend United**: J. Duncan, K. Mcadam, B. Goodliffe, D. Cox, V. Daley Campbell, O. Coker, D. Oldaker, R. Colclough, L. Twamley, S. Kamara, H. Cardwell

Prediction:

**Southend 2-1 Eastleigh.** Visitors have the edge in form and history; expect them to nick it despite a spirited home response. ⚪