CHRIS Todd admitted Eastleigh’s defeat at Forest Green on Saturday - his side’s fourth reverse on the spin - left him feeling "gutted."

The Spitfires boss sought out referee Robert Jones for an explanation after two controversial Jon Parkin goals had wiped out James Constable’s 64th- minute opener for the visitors, writes Paul McNamara.

Todd believed there was a suspicion of offside when former Preston striker Parkin rammed in his equaliser, while Eastleigh were convinced goalkeeper Ross Flitney was impeded at the corner from which the Rovers’ targetman bundled home his 88th-minute winner.

“It’s very easy to lose your cool and I was very close to doing that today,” said Todd. “But you have to be professional about it.

"I spoke to the referee in a good manner and asked him why it wasn’t a foul for the winner – and what was the situation with the first goal.

“He’s said he thinks he’s made the right decisions. We’ll both have a look at the DVD and if he’s wrong I’ll be very disappointed.

"He said that if that is the case he will apologise. If he does that, fair play to him, but if it was a foul it has still cost me the game.

“I feel gutted, not because of the performance, but because of the outcome. We didn’t deserve that.”

Flitney was one of four changes Todd made to the Spitfires team that lost 2-1 at Gateshead last Tuesday but, despite ongoing speculation concerning possible new arrivals to the Silverlake Stadium, there were no fresh faces in the manager’s line-up at the New Lawn.

The Welshman revealed that two potential recruits were turned away after failing to impress on the training ground prior to the trip to Forest Green.

“We brought a couple in,” said Todd. “We were about to sign them on loan deals. But they trained with us and they weren’t good enough. That’s the facts.

“We have to be right in what we bring in. I’ve got good players in that dressing room. Bringing the right person in is vital. It is probably going to happen, but it’s got to be the right person.”

Flitney was outstanding on his return to the side, following a three-game spell in which recent signing Michael Poke has been preferred between the sticks. And Todd admitted that the decision to reinstate the former Barnet number one was a "massive call."

He said: “I’ve got two good ‘keepers. Pokey’s done nothing wrong. He’s just been on the end of bad results - and we’ve been conceding goals.

“It doesn’t matter who plays in goal at the minute. It’s about us finding ways to win matches and trying to cut out conceding goals. Whether that’s players making wrong decisions, or whatever, we need to put a stop to that.”

Asked if he could put his finger on why the Spitfires’ form has suffered such an alarming dip – they last won on December 19, 11 matches ago – Todd cited his team’s FA Cup exploits, when they took Championship outfit Bolton Wanderers to a third round replay.

He said: “The FA Cup gets you on a massive high - then you end up losing and feeling sorry for yourself a little bit. Then things don’t go your way. Our luck has changed a little bit. But it will come back. It really will.”

Todd and his players now have ten days to stew on their defeat in Gloucestershire, before table topping Cheltenham visit the Silverlake on March 1 – a situation the manager says is far from ideal.

“It is so frustrating," he confessed. "I’ve got ten days to pick them up. They’re disappointed in there. They’re deflated. I’m deflated – but I’m positive after the performance. We deserved more today.

“We have lost four on the bounce and that is really tough to take. I’m working my butt off to try and turn the corner and so are the players. We’ll eventually do that – and when we do, look out.”