Ten-man Maidstone lost an eventful game at Eastleigh having hit back to lead before skipper Gavin Hoyte was sent off.

Danny Whitehall put the Spitfires in front but Ryan Galvin and Reiss Greenidge struck as United led at the break for the first time this season.

Hoyte’s dismissal gave the Spitfires a penalty, as Tristian Abrahams levelled from the spot.

And the hosts pulled clear with Vincent Harper, Ousseynou Cisse and a Roarie Deacon own goal giving them the points as Maidstone’s winless run in the National League reached 12 games.

Hakan Hayrettin named an unchanged team after the encouraging goalless draw against Solihull Moors last week.

United announced the signing of winger Zaid Al-Hussaini on loan from Crawley before the game and while he travelled to Hampshire, he didn’t make the squad.

Eastleigh, sitting just outside the play-off places, were on top for periods of the first half.

Cisse and Nigel Atangana formed an imposing midfield duo and the hosts attacked quickly with what almost looked like a front four at times.

Oscar Rutherford, operating from the right, saw lots of the ball and looked particularly dangerous running at the Maidstone defence and creating opportunities.

Eastleigh were good value for their 16th-minute opener, although it was a poor goal from the Stones’ point of view.

Abrahams was picked out on all on his own on the edge of the box and he found Charlie Carter, whose cross was finished by Whitehall a yard out.

Ryan Sandford made a good save from Whitehall as Eastleigh looked to build on their lead.

But the game changed in a two-minute spell towards the end of the first half as Maidstone led at the break.

Player-of-the-month Galvin equalised in the 37th minute after Christie Pattisson beat his man down the right and squared.

And things got even better for the Stones when Deacon’s deep corner was headed home by Greenidge in the 39th minute.

Maidstone nearly had a third in added time, with Josh Fawole’s turn and shot from the edge of the box palmed on to the bar and out for a corner by Joe McDonnell.

Fawole went close again straight after the break but the game swung again when last-man Hoyte was sent off for bringing down Abrahams in the box, giving Eastleigh a penalty.

Abrahams sent Sandford the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-2 in the 51st minute.

It was going to take something special to get anything out of the game from here, with Eastleigh looking to turn the screw against the 10 men.

Sandford saved well from Carter but a third goal looked a matter of time and it arrived in the 63rd minute when substitute Harper scored with his first touch, stabbing home a cross.

Number four followed nine minutes later, Cisse with the finishing touch after Whitehall helped the ball goalwards from a corner.

Deacon put through their own net two minutes from time to give Eastleigh a fifth, and the hosts also hit the bar in added time.

Eastleigh: McDonnell, Camp, Kelly, Atangana (Harper 62mins), Martin, Carter, Cisse, Whitehall, Langston, Abrahams (Hesketh 74mins), Rutherford (Hill 62mins). Subs not used: McKiernan, Ebanks.

Maidstone: Sandford, Hoyte, Ellul (Mensah 78mins), Greenidge, Binnom-Williams, Booty, Odusanya, Deacon, Pattisson, Fawole, Galvin (Corne 55mins). Subs not used: Alabi, Barham, Mersin.

Referee: Sam Mulhall.

Attendance: 1,706 (99 away).