A YOUTHFUL Oxford United side paid for a slow start as they lost out to Eastleigh in a pre-season friendly.

Ben Williamson capitalised on errors to score twice in the space of five minutes and put the Vanarama National League side in charge.

Andrew Boyce added a third goal early in the second half against a U’s side whose average age was under 20.

The visitors’ best chances came late on, but there was no way past Max Stryjek.

Jamie Hanson skippered the visitors, who also named Tony McMahon and Mark Sykes in a line-up otherwise packed with teenagers.

The callow U’s looked all at sea early on, as Eastleigh’s hardened professionals cashed in on defensive mistakes to score twice in the opening 18 minutes.

A gap on their left flank allowed Joe Partington to slide a pass which Williamson slammed in from eight yards.

Within five minutes the striker scored again with a neat finish which wrong-footed Jack Stevens after Jack McKnight had picked Kevin Berkoe’s pocket.

United recovered to make it more of an even contest which was feisty at times, but lacked a cutting edge.

Max Stryjek punched Nico Jones’s header from a corner to safety, while Hanson’s powerful 20-yard effort was straight at the Spitfires keeper.

United should have had a penalty just before half-time when Aaron Heap was shoved to the floor, but the referee somehow waved play on.

The visitors slipped 3-0 down seven minutes into the second half, when Boyce outmuscled several U’s players to head in from a corner.

Stryjek tipped Berkoe’s shot over midway through the half, before making an even better save to thwart Fabio Lopes 15 minutes from time.

Substitute Sam Smart hit the post and forced Jack Stevens into a terrific save with another effort as Eastleigh finished on top.

United are next in action on Saturday, at home to Queens Park Rangers.

Eastleigh: Stryjek, Wynter, Boyce (Smart 64), Johnson (Atkinson HT), Partington, Payne, Miley, McKnight, Green, Rendell (Trialist 56), Williamson (Bearwish 74).

Subs: Flitney, Smart, Baughan, Waterfield.

Oxford Utd: Stevens, McMahon (Sade 83), Allardyce, Jones, Berkoe, Hanson (McCreadie 83), Heap, Lofthouse, Sykes (Stevens 83), Lopes, James (Crooks 60).

Subs: Harris.