EASTLEIGH manager Richard Hill hailed his players’ response to losing at Wrexham on Saturday as they drew 1-1 with Bristol Rovers at the Silverlake Stadium last night.

Hill’s side suffered a resounding 3-0 defeat in Wales four days ago, but came out fighting against The Gas.

“It was fast from start to finish,”

said Hill. “There were 20 outfield players that were absolutely on their knees at the end.

“It was an entertaining game. It was tight. You could see from the start how quick it was. No one had time on the ball.

“I thought tonight it was a solid, hard working performance (from Eastleigh).

“It had to be a good response (after the Wrexham match). I didn’t have to tell the lads that they didn’t play very well on Saturday, they knew.”

Had it not been for a 35-yard wonder strike by Bristol’s Ollie Clarke, the Spitfires would have come away with a clean sheet and a win.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to say ‘good goal’,” said Hill. “It was a good strike, it could have gone anywhere but it went in the back of the net.

“You could actually question why he was shooting from there.

“Just before the goal we were a little bit loose, if I want to nitpick.

The set back to [goalkeeper] Ross Flitney wasn’t great, Ross’s kick wasn’t great.”

Hill, whose side sit 12th in the Conference, reserved praise for his goalkeeper Flitney, despite his kick leading to Clarke’s strike.

“I want to reiterate here that Rossco has been fantastic for us,” he said. “He’s kept us in games and he’s won us games.

“We all make errors on the pitch. The problem is when a goalkeeper or defender makes a mistake it’s compounded.”

Eastleigh were without striker James Constable, who picked up a knock against Wrexham, and defender Jamie Turley was also out injured for the Spitfires.