WHILE the main football focus in this area is whether Saints can avoid the nightmare drop into League One, one of the greatest success stories in Hampshire footballing history could well be written over the next few weeks.

Following their 1-0 home win over Bognor Regis on Bank Holiday Monday, Eastleigh FC believe they need just three wins from their remaining six games to win a place in the Blue Square Conference South play-offs.

It's a large if' but were Eastleigh to win promotion for the fourth time in six seasons, they would complete a sensational rise from the Wessex League to the top division of non league football in remarkable time.

The irony of Eastleigh's rise at the same time his beloved Saints are struggling so badly is not lost on Spitfires assistant manager Paul Doswell.

He knows all too well that Saints and Eastleigh could be seperated by just two divisions if the former go down and the latter go up - a statistic Doswell describes as "sobering."

While remaining hopeful Saints avoid another catastrophic demotion, the man who kickstarted Eastleigh's footballing revolution when he took over as manager in 2002 is also confident the Spitifires can finish in the Blue Square South play-off zone.

He is also hoping Saints fans can play their part in helping roar Eastleigh onto a top-six finish.

Doswell has said that all Saints adult season ticket holders can pay just £6 - normal price £10 - to watch this weekend's crunch clash at the Silverlake Stadium with fellow play-off hopefuls Bishop's Stortford (3pm).

No such cut-price offer applies the following Tuesday for a game which Doswell bills as "as good as it gets if you like non league football" when Eastleigh host Hampshire rivals Havant & Waterlooville.

There is no love lost between the two clubs after a series of barbed comments have appeared in the media in recent months with regards to Eastleigh's ultimately failed attempt to sign Hawks centre half Tom Jordan.

That followed Ian Baird's shock departure as Havant boss last October in order to replace ex-Saint David Hughes as Eastleigh manager.

"We have some huge games coming up," said Doswell.

"The next four are all against teams either in the top six or hoping to get in the top six.

"Bishop's Stortford is a massive game and I can't emphasise just how big the Havant game is next Tuesday.

"Even though Arsenal v Liverpool is live on TV, we're hoping for a crowd of around 1,500 - and it could be as high as 2,000.

"It's a game that could define both side's season. If we win, we could be looking good for the play-offs while a Havant defeat could be the death knell for them.

"I know there's no love lost between the two teams, and I wouldn't attempt to say otherwise.

"If you're a fan of non league football, it doesn't get much better than this game.

"It would be nice to see as many Saints fans as possible coming along to these games.

"Saints aren't playing at home this Saturday, so my message to all their fans is please support us'."

Doswell knows that top two Eastbourne and Lewes are almost certain to finish in those positions, though who will claim the title and the sole automatic promotion place that accompanies it is not so easy to answer.

So that leaves three play-off places available, and at present Doswell wouldn't discount any team from Eastleigh in third place down to Newport County in 11th.

"A week or so ago you would have thought Newport would have one of the play-off places nailed on, but they've now lost three on the bounce and have to win all their games in hand to get back in it.

"I'm confident we will make it and I reckon the other two will come from Hampton, Havant or Bishop's Stortford.

"Hampton are a typical Conference South side, they are big, strong, lots of six-footers.

"They play it long from back to front and look to pick up second balls. They aren't a passing side, but they can leave you in a real mess if you don't cope with them.

"Just because they haven't got the biggest budget or are the biggest name, I don't think they get the credit they deserve "Havant will undoubtedly be up there as well."

Doswell has spent almost all his time since being appointed Eastleigh boss attempting to increase the size of the club's home gates.

From attendances of less than 100 in their Wessex League days, they are now consistently getting crowds of more than 500 and attracted over 700 on Easter Monday.

Regular gates of 1,000, though, will only come with promotion to the elite division of non league football and games against the likes of 1986 League Cup winners Oxford, Exeter, Torquay, Stevenage, Weymouth and Salisbury.

"If and when we go up, we'll attract a few more locals but we'll also get much larger travelling support," said Doswell.

"I don't think we can regularly get crowds of 1,000 just from locals."