EASTLEIGH have addressed their left-back crisis by handing an opportunity to 22-year-old former Arsenal and West Ham youngster Frazer Shaw.

With Michael Green, Reda Johnson and Sam Wood all sidelined, the Spitfires had to switch right-back Gavin Hoyte across the park against Chester last weekend.

And with none of the injured trio ready to return at table-topping Dover Athletic on Saturday, manager Richard Hill sees ex-Leyton Orient man Shaw as a “refreshing” signing.

He said: “He’s come through the system at West Ham and you have to be respectful of that.

“He’s another one who should probably have done better and played higher than he has. Whether that’s because he hasn’t had the right break, I don’t know.

“But he was available and he’s not come here asking for shedloads of money or accommodation.

“The opportunity to play for Eastleigh means far more to him than the pound signs in his eyes and that’s refreshing. He’s young and he’s going to be hungry.

“He’s a nice lad and he’s trained with us all week and taken on board what we’re trying to do."

Shaw, who has earned one England C cap, joined Accrington Stanley on a two-year deal in June last year after leaving Orient. But the deal was cancelled by mutual consent in the August with the Newham-born left-back finding it hard to settle up north.

Since returning south he has played for East Thurrock, Woking and Dulwich Hamlet.

With centre-backs Callum Howe and Andrew Boyce both sitting out training this week with tight hamstrings, Eastleigh had hoped defensive titan Johnson would be fit to face Dover, but he pulled his hamstring again on his return to light training.

So tight is the Vanarama National League this season that just ten points separate Eastleigh, in 16th, from table-topping Dover.

And while squandering a two-goal lead in last Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with Chester was a setback, the Spitfires can head to Crabble buoyed by their recent 2-1 triumph at high-flying Macclesfield.

“We’ve picked up seven points from the last 12. It should have been nine, but I do think we will get better as the season goes on and we get a few of the injured lads back,” said Hill.

“Beyond that, I wouldn’t make any promises about where we might finish, but we need to get a bit of consistency.”

Jake Leberl, Dover’s assistant manager, admits he doesn’t know what to expect from the Spitfires.

“Eastleigh are a strange beast,” he said. “They can beat anyone on their day – they went to Macclesfield and won, but let in a late goal against Chester.

“They’ve got forwards who have scored a lot of League goals, so they’re always going to be a danger. With people like Gary McSheffrey, they’ve got quality from set-pieces.”

Dover’s dangerman is former Eastleigh and Portsmouth striker Ryan Bird who jointly tops the VNL scoring charts with nine goals – one more than the Spitfires' Ben Williamson.