EASTLEIGH interim boss Richard Hill refused to comment on the club's management situation after the humbling 6-0 defeat at home to Gateshead.

Hill and Jason Bristow are in temporary charge of the side after Lee Bradbury was sacked from the role just five games into the season.

Since the pair have taken the reigns, the Spitfires have shown improvement as they picked up a 3-0 win against Aldershot before drawing 0-0 with Dorking Wanderers.

But they were brought down to earth on Saturday and whether there will be a new manager in the dugout in time to face AFC Fylde remains to be seen.

Rather than give supporters an answer on the club's immediate future, when asked by the Daily Echo, Hill responded: "How can you ask me that question after that?

"So, what you’re saying is I will be moved to one side because of this result."

Eastleigh were four goals behind at half time and it did not get much better after the break for the Spitfires.

They were without regular captain Aaron Martin for the encounter and Jake Taylor stepped in to skipper the side.

Hill did, however, shoulder full responsibility for the damaging result which leaves the south coast club 20th in the table after eight matches.

He added: "They could have scored at will. We probably need to thank Gateshead for playing within themselves a little bit.

"Sometimes you have to just go ‘they were better than us today'. I got my tactics wrong so it’s on me.

"We didn’t keep the ball well enough and we didn’t play well enough with or without the ball. I got the tactics wrong, we move on to next week.

"Were there any positives? No, not really. Nothing at all. We’ve had a punch on the nose and we have to accept that.”

Eastleigh travel to 22nd-placed AFC Fylde next week in a crucial game towards the foot of the table.

The Spitfires struggled to create any meaningful opportunities throughout the 90 minutes at the Silverlake. Of their six shots, they only managed to get one on target.

Gateshead had 16 shots and eight of those were on target while they also struck the post twice in the first half.

There were boos at half-time and the mood within the ground did not change after the break.

Although he was coy about his future, Hill did reveal he did not want to be too angry with his players ahead of the crunch clash.

“I could go in there and take the paint off the wall," he said. "What good’s that going to do? Would it make me feel better? No.

"That is what I just said to the lads, do you want me to shout at you? Would it make it better if I shouted at you? Would it make you feel better?"