Eastleigh boss Paul Doswell deserves huge credit for being bold enough to switch frontman Craig McAllister to wide right in Saturday's 3-0 home defeat of Chelmsford.

So says coach Nicky Banger, who rated McAllister man-of-the-match in what he labelled: "One of our best performances of the year."

Former Saints striker Banger admitted: "Apparently Macca has played on the right wing before, but I wasn't aware of that and Dossie deserves a big pat on the back for using a system that allowed us to play all three strikers together.

"Before, we'd been trying to juggle McAllister, Andy Forbes and Paul Sales for the two front spots, but on Saturday we managed to use all of them within the shape we like to play.

"Macca picked the ball up on the right wing and charged at defenders and got crosses in.

"On the left we had Alex Haddow and Christer Warren giving the team a good balance and, to be honest, I'd be confident with that as a starting XI going into the play-offs."

Despite getting off to the most positive start Banger can remember, Eastleigh were kept waiting an hour before taking the lead when set-piece specialist Ryan Ashford buried a free-kick.

With the floodgates duly prised open, Sales headed in a second two minutes later and then Forbes bagged a third with 70 minutes gone - his first in four games.

Banger admitted: "Normally it takes us 20 minutes or so to get into a game, but we had some amazing chances early on and it started to worry me a bit when they didn't go in.

"I thought it might be one of those days when we'd create so much, but then they'd go up the other end a score.

"But we asked the lads to keep it going in the second half, and I had a funny feeling that Ryan's free kick would go in. After that, I could see us scoring three, four or five."

Banger added: "I was really pleased for Forbesy when he scored. Although his all-round game has been good, he's been thinking a bit too much and putting pressure on himself.

"You could see the relief when the goal went in."

With Braintree held 1-1 by Dover, third-placed Eastleigh have opened up a three-point gap over the Essex side, having played one game more.