Jai Reason was the star of the show for Eastleigh as they demonstrated to the nation their Vanarama Conference play-off credentials with a 4-0 victory over in-form Macclesfield Town.

With the BT Sport television cameras present and a record-breaking 4,126 Silverlake Stadium crowd in attendance, more people than ever before watched the Spitfires as they dismantled the Silkmen, who started the day in third place.

Reason was the shining light in an outstanding team performance that keeps sixth-placed Eastleigh well in the play-off hunt ahead of a crucial few weeks.

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder was influential in the creation of the first, second and fourth goals and netted an absolute beauty of his own for the third on the hour.

Thierry Audel, on his return to the Silkmen after two years away, marked his second debut in calamitous fashion as he netted an own goal on 12 minutes for the first.

James Constable netted his 14th Conference goal on 54 minutes before Reason’s superb third and substitute Deon Burton’s fourth with 12 minutes to play.

A beaming Richard Hill was rightly pleased with side, who put their recent up and down home form behind them with an excellent display.

“It was great,” he said. “I thought we’ve always had it in us to throw a performance in like that.

“It wasn’t great first half. It was difficult playing against that breeze first half.

“It’s just one of those days where everything has come together and to cap it off being on the tele has made it an even better day.

“They had a bit of pressure at times.

“First half especially where we went 1-0 up, I was a little bit disappointed that we were a bit deep at times.

“We had good shape behind the football but we didn’t press them well enough at times.

“Am I nitpicking? I probably am, but sometimes we could end up with a punch on the nose, and then it’s a different result.

“We imposed ourselves on them second half.

“That’s what we spoke about at half-time.

“We had a couple of the midfield players pressing but we weren’t pressing the other side of the pitch, so it was easy for them to come to one side of the pitch to another to attack us.

“While one or two players were going to press, the other players weren’t.

“Second half we all together went and swamped them and got tight to them and didn’t let them get a rhythm.

“We were winning the ball back on the halfway line, opposed to having to win it back on the edge of our box.

“I knew we had to impose ourselves and get tight to them. “If we could do that, the quality we possess in the squad would shine through.”

Macclesfield were without influential captain Paul Turnbull but started the game the brighter of the teams.

That was until the Spitfires won a free-kick, deep on the left wing on 12 minutes. Reason picked out towering midfielder Harry Pell in a packed box.

The January signing from AFC Wimbledon headed towards goal.

It took wicked deflection off Audel before settling in the net as Pell wheeled away, celebrating in front of newly opened Mackoy Community Stand.

Macclesfield tried to level but several efforts were blazed well over the bar as Eastleigh took the 1-0 lead into the break.

It then took the home side eight minutes of the second period to really hit their stride.

And when they did, Macclesfield just couldn’t cope.

On 54 minutes Reason picked up possession from his cleared corner and zipped in a cross.

Craig McAllister rose highest and headed back across the face of goal for his strike partner, Constable, to powerfully head home.

Eastleigh’s passing was outstanding and former Oxford United man Constable was dubiously flagged for offside as he polished off a fine team move to deny them a third.

When the Spitfires’ third finally arrived on 61 minutes, boy was it a special one.

The wizardry of Reason left England C defender Andy Halls hopeless as the former Ipswich youth player zipped into the right of the box.

There was only one thing on his mind as he set himself before curling a stunning right-footed lob shot over the outstretched arm of keeper Rhys Taylor and into the right of the net. Sublime.

Eastleigh put the icing on an excellent performance on 78 minutes as Constable squared to substitute Burton, the veteran striker who arrived in January, to slot home his second for the club from close range.