RICHARD Hill’s instincts rarely let him down during his first successful stint as Eastleigh manager.

That’s ancient history now, but his team selection for Saturday’s crucially important 2-0 National League win over Barrow proved his judgement remains spot on.

Having had door after door slammed in his face in his efforts to strengthen a struggling side, Hill turned to two familiar faces to help the club out in a time of need.

Hand on heart, not every Spitfires fan was happy to see Eastleigh retracing old steps by bringing back 35-year-old central defender and former captain Paul Reid from Whitehawk.

And as for inviting striker Matt Tubbs to re-join the club after his underwhelming loan spell from Portsmouth last season, it had the potential to leave Eastleigh's new director of football/caretaker manager with egg on his face.

Typically of Hill, though, he proved the doubters wrong with both Reid and Tubbs outstanding on a potentially season-turning afternoon.

After almost five months devoid of a home win, the Spitfires belatedly banked their first three-point haul of 2017 by outclassing eighth-placed Barrow.

Reid oozed authority at the back and Tubbs's reward for making a nuisance of himself was to score early in the second half after 'keeper John Flatt had bizarrely kicked the ball against him from point-blank range.

It fell perfectly for the former Crawley and Salisbury hotshot, making him the second player of the day to win over new friends among the 2,039 crowd.

Having been signed from Barnet and made captain by former manager Martin Allen, midfielder Sam Togwell – along with recalled 'keeper Graham Stack and defender Gavin Hoyte – could easily have become scapegoats for the failures of the previous regime.

But if Togwell felt unloved, he didn’t let it show, capping an industrious display with a 20th-minute stunner that arrowed into the far, top corner for his first Eastleigh goal.

When Hill rode to the Spitfires' rescue, the playing side was in such a mess that it was hard to see where the next win was coming from.

But in just two weeks he has achieved the impossible. The Spitfires are starting to look like a team again.

“I had a good chat with some senior players, including Togwell, and he and Stacky didn’t know what was going on,” said Hill. “These lads have been bashed from pillar to post.

“But all week we’ve worked really hard in training, the players have asked me lots of questions and they’ve bought into what we’re trying to do.

“I’d enquired after about 20 players, hoping to bring in two or three, but no-one wants to let anyone go at this stage of the season.

“Reidy came to me wanting to help. He knows he won’t get a contract for next year, but he cares about this club.

“Tubbsy wanted to help too, he believes he has unfinished business here.

“Today they’ve both shown how they feel about Eastleigh. Reidy was immense and Tubbsy was fantastic."

Hill, who also got a promising debut from former Sutton midfielder Ryan Burge, added: “The club needed a lift and the players deserve massive credit for this result."

Eastleigh: Graham Stack, Gavin Hoyte, Michael Green, Paul Reid, Reda Johnson, Ryan Burge (Ben Strevens, 64), Ben Close, Sam Togwell, Craig McAllister, Matt Tubbs (Scott Wilson, 65), Hakeem Odoffin. Subs (not used): James Constable, Ayo Obileye, Ryan Clarke.

Referee: Neil Hair.

Attendance: 2,039.