EASTLEIGH could find themselves short of defensive bodies for tomorrow's trek to Barrow in the Vanarama National League.

The Spitfires were already without Gavin Hoyte (shoulder) and Ayo Obileye (knee) for Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Wrexham.

And the needless dismissal of centre-back Andrew Boyce for two bookable offences hasn’t helped matters.

Having conceded the first-half penalty which put Wrexham ahead, former Grimsby defender Boyce was then cautioned for a rash challenge on Sam Wedgbury.

And his calamitous afternoon was cut short on 68 minutes when he was booked again for handling the ball in the mistaken belief that he had been awarded a freekick.

Fortunately for ten-man Eastleigh, Boyce’s central defensive partner Ryan Cresswell bundled in a late equaliser, but manager Andy Hessenthaler could have done without losing a key member of his backline against a Barrow side who are fighting for their lives.

Admitting he had been close to substituting Boyce on Saturday, Hessenthaler revealed: “I’d said to Ben Strevens (assistant) about ten minutes before half-time that I was going to take Boycey off, but I thought he was old enough and experienced enough to be sensible, but unfortunately he wasn’t.

“It cost him - and it nearly cost us.

“We’ll lose him for Tuesday now and I think Reda Johnson might have picked up an injury too, so we’ll have to wait and see.”

While a healthy haul of seven points from the last nine has eased any fears of Eastleigh being sucked into the relegation zone, Barrow still have it all to do to preserve their top-flight status.

The Bluebirds slipped into the bottom four for the first time this season following a hefty 4-1 loss at Leyton Orient on Saturday.

Hessenthaler knows Barrow boss Ady Pennock well, having played with him and managed him at Gillingham, and it won’t give him any pleasure to add to his woes.

But he is keen to keep Eastleigh’s unbeaten run going and said: “A lot of the other teams will be looking and hoping we do them a favour at Barrow.”

The Bluebirds haven’t won at Holker Street since October, but Pennock insisted: “We have got to get on with it. We can’t sulk. If we sulk we go down.

“We have a crucial couple of matches ahead of us and it’s about getting our heads down and focusing on what we need to do.

"We need to win at home, it’s as simple as that.”