EASTLEIGH have today announced the signing of Portsmouth striker Matt Tubbs on loan for the rest of the season.

Subject to FA clearance, the 31-year-old former Salisbury, Crawley and AFC Bournemouth marksman will be included in the squad for tonight's Vanarama National League trip to Kidderminster Harriers.

The Spitfires remain firmly in the promotion picture, sitting fifth in the table, but have lost some of their momentum of late while distracted with the FA Cup and have gone five league games without a win.

The club are hoping that Tubbs, who has fallen out of favour at Fratton Park, will be the man to push them on again.

Tubbs has scored five goals in 17 appearances this season for the Blues, but hasn’t featured since the end of October for the League Two side.

He is contracted to Fratton Park until the summer of 2017.

“Hopefully Matt will do what he’s always done and put the ball in the back of the net,” said Eastleigh chief exec Mark Jewell.

“Hopefully he will be the kick-on the club needs for the run-in.

“I think he will be a very popular signing. He’s a name that’s been thrown up a lot over the last few years by our supporters, but sometimes it takes a while for the opportunity to come along.

“You do go a bit flat after FA Cup exploits, that’s well-known in football, so signing Matt will be good for morale. He sounds the right sort of character to come in and lift the dressing room.”

Eastleigh had tried hard to sign Salisbury-born Tubbs on a permanent deal before the transfer window closed last Monday, but it didn't materialise.

“We couldn’t broker a deal before the transfer window closed so we’ve gone back to them and agreed an emergency loan until the end of the season and then we’ll look at things again,” said Jewell.

“Matt’s got another year on his contract and we’ll look at all parties in the summer, see how Matt’s enjoying it, and see where we are with a view to making him a long-term signing.

“At the moment there’s no commitment beyond the loan period but, if things work out well, we’d consider making it permanent depending on how negotiations go.

“An immense amount of work has gone into this deal from our secretary, chairman, myself and the guys down at Portsmouth’s end.”