MUCH as Richard Hill knew yesterday's 4-0 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge fell short of expectations, the Eastleigh boss has cut his players a bit of slack.

While he was first to admit the performance was “nowhere near good enough", he would not let it overshadow the hard work and key results that had gone before it.

When Hill rode to Eastleigh’s rescue in late February, the club were going downhill fast.

But since losing 3-1 at York City on March 4, the Spitfires have all but guaranteed themselves Vanarama National League safety by winning three and drawing one of their last five games.

So while Saturday’s mauling by the Daggers - settled by Corey Whitely’s hat-trick and one by veteran striker Paul Benson – was disappointing, Hill was looking at the bigger picture.

“It wasn’t good enough, but we mustn’t forget that the last four games these players have been brilliant,” he stressed.

“The scenario when I came back was to make sure we stayed up and, unless there’s an almighty mess-up, we’ve accomplished the remit I was given.

“It doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels, but if someone had said after the York game that we’d pick up ten points from our next five, the cynics would have said: ‘You’ll be lucky to get three.’

“So I have to be philosophical and say that although our performance at Dagenham was not good enough – and I don’t just mean from the players, I mean from me as well, by the way – we mustn’t lose sight of just how fantastic the lads have been over these last two or three weeks.

“Their endeavour, enthusiasm and willingness in training has been unbelievable ever since the Monday after York.

“I have to mention too that we had a great turnout from the fans at Dagenham. It’s a shame they had to witness a performance like that, but it was just one of those games against a very good team.

“We shot ourselves in the foot in a mad five first-half minutes and were out of the game.”

Whitely’s 26th-minute lob over 'keeper Graham Stack was doubled by Benson two minutes later when he netted the rebound from Luke Guttridge’s shot.

With the Spitfires in a spin, Whitely made it 3-0 on 30 minutes and completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot midway through the second half after Guttridge had gone down under Gavin Hoyte’s challenge.

The result keeps Eastleigh 11th, ten points above the drop zone, while Dagenham remain in promotion contention in fourth.

“We’ve played a team who’ve been a bit up and down lately, but maybe they’re running into form at the right time,” said Hill.

“John Still is a good manager who knows his football and, on another occasion, he might well have been Eastleigh boss.”

Next up for the Spitfires is a massive home game against league leaders Lincoln City on Saturday (3pm).

“In the position we were in when I took over, we would never have reached the play-offs even if we’d won every game,” said Hill.

“First and foremost we had to stave off relegation and now it’s down to the lads to play for their own personal pride.

“But I won’t have anyone take away from what they did in the four games previous to Dagenham. I’ll defend them to the hilt.”