MARTIN Allen’s Chesterfield slipped into the Vanarama National League bottom four as a result of yesterday's 1-1 draw at Eastleigh – but Ben Strevens reckons they won’t be struggling for long.

The Spireites may not have won in 18 league matches but, incredibly, they have now drawn eight on the bounce.

And Strevens, whose on-song Spitfires have lost just one in 12 in the VNL, was disappointed but realistic about being held by a physically challenging visiting side.

He said: “Last week at Barrow (a 3-0 win) was more about pure football. This week we’ve played a side who were a bit more physical and direct and if you don’t stand up to that, you don’t get any points.

“There’s all types of teams in this league and all types of conditions to play in. On Tuesday we go to the astroturf at Maidstone (7.45). It’s relentless.

“Knowing Martin (Allen) the way I do and the way he’s got Chesterfield playing, they’re not going to be down near the bottom for long and we might just look back on this at the end of the season as a good point,” Strevens added.

“Right now I’m disappointed we didn’t get all three but, like I’ve said to the boys, if we average two points a game we’ll end up in a good position and we’re doing that at the moment.

“It’s another point on the board. We’ll take it and move onto to Tuesday night.”

Mark Yeates produced another outstanding performance, oozing class and creativity, to take the Eastleigh man-of-the-match award. But it was very much a team effort with young sub Ollie Dennett typifying the work ethic new boss Strevens demands.

“Ollie chased back, made a challenge at one end, won the ball and then went down the other end and won it again. It summed what we’re doing as a group,” said the boss.

Allen, who spent an ill-fated 84 days in charge at Eastleigh two seasons ago, felt the 1-1 scoreline was just about right on his return to the Silverlake.

"Make no mistake, Eastleigh are a decent side with good players and to come away with a draw was good from our perspective," he said.

“We had a couple of escapes at the end when (Chesterfield keeper) Callum Burton made a brilliant save and then they hit the inside of the post.

“But we were due some luck. We’d hit opposition woodwork nine times this season – and again Sam Muggleton today – so we were due that.

"I don't look at the league table, I just look at our league performances and we are going in the right direction.

"This was a good point against good opposition on a skiddy pitch in windy conditions."