Manager Richard Hill hailed “the most important three points” of Eastleigh’s remarkable campaign as his awayday specialists claimed a vital 2-1 Conference win at Lincoln City. The season-defining victory at Sincil Bank saw Jack Midson and Craig McAllister net the decisive goals either side of Ben Tomlinson’s equaliser.

The result puts the Spitfires on the brink of a play-off finish and a tilt at a truly sensational promotion to the Football League – just 13 years after they finished mid-table in the Wessex League.

Hill praised his side as they recorded their fourth straight victory and their ninth win on the road in their last eleven games.

That victory came despite reports the Imps, only playing for pride in their final home game of the campaign, were offered a bonus to win and, in turn, potentially scupper the Spitfires’ play-off dream.

“That’s the most important three points of the season,” said Hill. “Their game management, the way they approached the game, the lads were fantastic again.

“I’m just disappointed about the goal we gave away. We didn’t defend it well enough.

“It wasn’t just the free-kick we didn’t defend well, it was prior to that. Rather than keeping our shape, we got sucked in.

“Fortunately we’ve got away with it, but we’d have taken a point before the game.”

Hill continued: “We’d heard before the game from a very good source that they’d been offered an extra bonus to beat us.

“You use that to your gains before the game and that’s what I said to the lads. They’ve apparently been offered an extra bonus and I said to the lads ‘that should be your motivation’.

“The other thing is, shouldn’t they be offered that around January?”

The match came alive with Midson’s opener on 38 minutes as he capped-off a stunning team move just inside the Imps box.

But Hill was keen to point out that it wasn’t the first time his side have pulled-off such a move.

“I don’t know if you’ve actually looked back on the goal we’ve scored at Welling,” he recalled.

“I have, and there were ten passes before the ball went into the box and Jai Reason scores a header.

“The good thing we did today, we kept the ball and recycled it.

“We didn’t try to force anything. We just kept the ball, kept it moving.

“It was probably as good as team goal as we’ve scored this season.”