Eastleigh manager Richard Hill got the reaction he wanted from his players after giving them a half-time “kick up the backside” in the 3-1 Vanarama Conference victory at Kidderminster Harriers.

Hill’s half-time blast transformed his team after a poor first-half display which saw the Spitfires trailing 1-0 after on-loan AFC Bournemouth centre-back Joe Partington had scored a ninth-minute own-goal.

Jack Midson’s double and Jai Reason’s sublime strike secured all three points for play-off chasing Eastleigh – and a fourth win on the bounce.

“It doesn’t hurt once a while for me to stand there and tell a couple of them that they could be doing better,” Hill said.

“I quite like it when I have a pop at them at half-time ... not to be personal, but tell them a few home truths.

“Then they throw in a performance in the second half that basically throws two fingers up at me and tells me ‘there you go’.

“As the manager I have to identify when they need a kick up the backside.

“But when you say that, you’re pleased they throw two fingers up at you.”

It wasn’t an attractive game on a tricky Aggborough Stadium surface and Hill accepts that it may not have been the most enthralling encounter.

“Tonight is the closest we’ve come to smash and grab,” he said.

“Kidderminster are a good side, they put you under pressure, they’ve got some good players.

“You can just see they’re a little bit demoralised at the moment.

“We were lucky at the half not to be two or three down.

“The surface isn’t conducive to playing decent football,” Hill continued.

“When it’s like this, it’s a battle and you have to work hard.

“I think you’ve seen us win ugly today.”

Hill’s half-time talk was nothing to do with tactics, but a reminder to his players.

“It was a case that you should start playing a bit better, running around a bit more and putting the opposition under a bit more pressure,” he said.

“I thought we looked very ragged, very disjointed in the first half.

“Bar Dan Walker that was the same team that looked absolutely unbelievable at Bristol Rovers a few days ago.

“It looked like we turned up and just met in the first half.

“But one or two players were told in no uncertain terms to give a bit more.

“Second half, I wouldn’t say comfortable, but we’ve come through that playing 80 per cent.”