WITH Eastleigh’s Vanarama National League campaign approaching the midway point, manager Richard Hill’s half-term report on his team reads: Could do better.

Hill still maintains that the 18th-placed Spitfires will improve as the season progresses and, with just 14 points separating them from the top two, he knows a consistent run of results could yet hoist them up amongst it.

But, with his side treading water after a win-less November, the boss warned: “There comes a time when you start running out of games.

“I’ve always said this league is such that everyone’s capable of beating everyone else – and this season everyone IS beating everyone else. We need to find some consistency.

“I said to the lads today that’s it’s not good enough that we’ve only won five football matches and they agreed.

“All our lads are good players who’ve had decent careers, but are they playing well enough as individuals on a consistent basis? Probably not.

“And are they are playing well enough as a team on a consistent basis? Definitely not.

“Last week at Halifax (a 3-3 draw) we played alright for 70 minutes and not particularly well for the last 20 and against Maidenhead (a 2-2 draw) it was the other way round.

“There’s two things we can do now. Either we fight or we give up – and that goes for all of us.

“The fans who went to Halifax were brilliant and I say to them: Let’s all fight together.”

On Saturday Eastleigh visit second-placed Sutton United who, under the leadership of ex-Silverlake boss Paul Doswell, have found the consistency the Spitfires crave.

The Us, who trail Aldershot Town on goal difference, have lost just one of their last 11 league games.

“Credit where credit’s due, they’ve done brilliant,” said Hill. “Every game in this league is difficult and Saturday's will be no exception.”

With Ross Flitney suspended following his dismissal at Halifax, Graham Stack is ready to return in goal after a shoulder injury.

But the Spitfires have suffered a hammer blow down the other end of the pitch with top scorer Ben Williamson looking at another five or six weeks out with hamstring trouble.

“I’m gutted, but what can I do?” said Hill. “At 28, Ben’s not even old, but it’s the way he plays. He’s explosive.”

The two Sams, Wood and Togwell, are back in training, but not yet ready to return, and Reda Johnson and Michael Green remain sidelined.

Hill, meanwhile, has fulfilled his promise to donate £500 to charity for comments made about the fans in the wake of defeat by Barrow.

At the supporters’ request, the money has been equally split between Prostate Cancer UK and the Piam Brown children’s ward at Southampton General Hospital.

“I still stress that I didn’t blame the fans for that defeat, but I’ve done my bit, contributed to charity and that's it over now," said the boss.