EASTLEIGH'S Chris Todd is preaching positivity for Saturday's vitally important home game against Barrow AFC (3pm).

On the face of it, there have been few on-field pluses for the Spitfires over the last six days with Vanarama National League promotion hopes dented by nightmare away defeats at Lincoln (3-0) and Kidderminster (3-2).

But there is no place for pessimism on 34-year-old Todd's watch and, with Eastleigh fifth in the table, the Welshman's pre-match message is that there is still all to play for in the last 16 games.

“We’re in a great position and we’ve got to be positive and go out and win on Saturday,” Todd insisted.

“Things have not gone well in the last two games and you can't expect them to if you give goals away like that.

“We have to tighten up and we’re working on it. We know we have to be better.

“We’ve had a bit of bad luck and had some worldies scored against us, but you have to create your own luck and dig deep.

“It wasn’t ideal on Tuesday to come off the back of a 3-0 defeat and then concede inside three minutes.

“But we showed what we can do in the second half and, at 2-2, I thought there was only one team in it. But then we’ve given ourselves another headache by giving a silly goal away.”

Though Todd is too polite to say so, he was seriously unimpressed with the challenge on left-back Dan Harding that led to Kidderminster’s early opener.

It cost his side a goal along with the services of the experienced ex-Saint who joins midfielder Andy Drury on the injury list.

“It looked a pretty bad challenge on Dan and we’re disappointed to lose him, but the positive is that it’s an opportunity for Greener (Michael Green),” said Todd. “Dan’s got a bad muscle injury around the rib/stomach area where the lad’s barged into him.

“Andy Drury's also struggling with his hip bone. He trained today, but didn’t get through it unfortunately.”

There is better news of forward Yemi Odubade, sidelined with a hamstring injury since the first FA Cup tie with Bolton. He is back in contention, as is skipper and centre-back Paul Reid, but Jai Reason completes a two-match ban.

James Constable’s two-goal contribution against his old club was the one positive from Kidderminster and, given time, Todd believes new loan signing Matt Tubbs from Portsmouth will make a similar impact.

“Matt hadn’t played for three months, so it’s good he got a game and some training under his belt,” said the boss. “Nothing really fell to him, but he’s a goal scorer and he'll get better as the games go on."

Barrow, 16th, have pepped up their attack with an emergency loan signing, drafting in 26-year-old former Lincoln, Alfreton and Macclesfield marksman Ben Tomlinson from Barnet until March 12.

He joins Michael Donohue, a lively 18-year-old winger, signed on a one-month youth loan from Everton.