Eastleigh manager Richard Hill doesn’t know whether he’ll be able to relax over the festive period knowing that some tough Christmas Cards await his Spitfires on Boxing Day.

Hill admits his side’s festive Vanarama Conference opponents Woking – nicknamed the Cards – are the best team they’ve played against this season.

The boss took a depleted Spitfires side to the Kingfield Stadium nine days ago in the FA Trophy and suffered a 2-0 defeat.

That day there were a number of notable absentees in the Eastleigh line-up, but that didn’t stop Hill concluding that Garry Hill’s outfit were the best team they’ve faced this term in any competition.

“It’s a tough game,” the Eastleigh boss said. “We haven’t had a game that isn’t tough in all honesty.

“But in that FA Trophy game I genuinely thought Woking were the best we’ve played against this season.

He went on: “I’m not saying they’re the best team in the league, but they were the best team we have played this season.”

On Christmas, he said: “Who knows if I’ll be able to relax.

“In football people tend to celebrate in May when the season’s over.

“It can’t be any different, it’s just what it is, we have to go to work.”

Hill has a lot of respect for his counterpart and namesake Hill.

“I’ve got to know him over the years, he been a big help,” he said. “He’s done very very well as a manager.

“I’m surprised he hasn’t been given a crack at a Football League team. He’s got years of experience – he got Weymouth promoted and done well at other clubs. I would be surprised if Garry didn’t want his side to push further up the division, with top spot in mind.”

In the second of three festive matches against the Cards, with the Spitfires making the short journey to Surrey on New Year’s Day to conclude the treble, they go head-to-head at the Silverlake Stadium, where Eastleigh are unbeaten in the league this campaign. Hill recognises the importance of that record, which potentially could see the Spitfires finish this calendar year with just one defeat in a league match – the Boreham Wood loss at the end of last season.

“It’s obviously important to maintain that record,” he said.

“There’s going to be a lot more ups and downs to come.

“But we’ll see where we are at the end of the season.”

Eastleigh have only Michael Green to worry about ahead of the match – although long term absentees Jamie Turley and Lewis Noice remain sidelined – after he was forced out of the Telford game with a reoccurring ankle problem.

Left-back Green was aiming to recover and was playing games but not training, in accordance with advice, but it hasn’t got better.