WITH five defeats from their last eight games and manager Martin Allen writing an open letter to supporters to get behind his players, Barnet will be under the microscope like never before at Eastleigh tomorrow.

Having thrown away their lead at the top of the Vanarama Conference, the Bees are unlikely to relish playing a sixth-placed Spitfires side who threw a huge spanner in the title works last Saturday with a 2-1 win at current leaders Bristol Rovers.

But wily Eastleigh boss Richard Hill saw with own eyes at Kidderminster on Tuesday that confidence comes and goes in football and he will be taking nothing for granted against the second-placed north Londoners.

The play-off chasing Spitfires surged back from behind to win 3-1 against Kiddy, but Hill said: “You’d have thought after Bristol Rovers our lads would have been bouncing off the ceiling, but after ten minutes at Kidderminster we looked short of confidence.

“We were a bit flat and lethargic and it was a struggle for us, but again we’ve seen from this group of players that we can find that extra something when we need it.

“Confidence can come and go at the drop of a hat and I still wouldn’t count Barnet out of winning this league.

“As we speak, it looks like Bristol Rovers may have a slight advantage, but I’d never count a Martin Allen team out of anything until it’s actually over. Two seasons ago he was helping Gillingham win League Two. His record speaks for itself.

“Tomorrow is going to be every bit as tough as Bristol Rovers – if not tougher.”

As with Rovers’ Darrell Clarke, there is much mutual respect between Hill and “Mad Dog” Allen.

“I’ve got to know Martin over the years. He has his own quirky way of doing things, but I’ve got nothing but respect for him.

“He’s an ex-pro footballer who’s gone into management and he has never been anything other than polite and respectful towards me,” said Hill.

“I saw him not long ago at Dartford v Halifax and we spent the whole of half-time talking about this league.

“Good luck to him. Barnet set their stall out at the start of the season and set the benchmark for everyone to catch.

“It’s hard work up there trying to set the standards.”

Eastleigh finally have a clean bill of health and Hill suspects their impressive run of four straight wins could be linked to the fact that fit-again trio Paul Reid, Jamie Turley and Will Evans are waiting in the wings.

“Players don’t play badly or make mistakes on purpose, but when there’s healthy competition it perhaps gives players extra edge,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t change the side if I thought it was right to do so,” he added.

“Too many managers take the easy way out and if they’ve won the game before they keep the same team.

“At certain times this season our team has picked itself because of injuries and suspensions. “But when you’ve got what we’ve got now, 20 fit players, you have to be brave as a manager.

“Just because you’ve won the last game doesn’t necessarily mean that team is equipped to win the one after. It’s different opposition, a different game.

“Will I change things tomorrow? I don’t know yet.

“I’ll sit down today and go through the times I’ve seen Barnet and the reports I’ve had on them.

“If I think it’s right to change the team, I will, and I’ll stand by my decision.”