Richard Hill was quick to hail to Lee Cook after the winger came off the bench to thump a stunning injury-time winner for Eastleigh in a spicy Hampshire derby at Aldershot.

Cook has been sparingly used by the Spitfires manager since the ex-Fulham player’s summer switch from Barnet, starting only one of his unbeaten team’s six matches this season, writes PAUL McNAMARA.

But the 33-year-old’s sweet finish across Shots’ keeper Phil Smith had Hill eulogising about the player he previously worked with at QPR during 2006/07.

“If we had the Lee Cook who was the right side of 30, then he wouldn’t be playing for Eastleigh,” said Hill.

“But he has the capability to do what he’s done today. To be able to bring Lee Cook onto the pitch, when you’re chasing something or needing something, it’s ideal. He does that every day in training. “

Cooky has been frustrated (with his lack of starts), but I have to make tough decisions, and one of those has been not starting Lee Cook.

“When I was at QPR he was by far the best player in the team. You still see glimpses of that now, and you’ve seen it today. He couldn’t have picked his spot any better.

“I have a hard job making sure these players are happy. That is why, when I have the calibre of player that I have, I don’t go for the size of squad that people tell me I should be having.

“If I have two players like Lee Cook sitting in the stand, then I’m going to have problems - and that’s detrimental to your team.”

Hill confessed that the quality he has oozing through his squad had him “scratching his head all week” prior to the Spitfires’ trip to Aldershot.

He eventually chose to send the same 11 into battle with Barry Smith’s men that had beaten Macclesfield Town seven days earlier. Furthermore, Hill was expecting to suffer another “headache” over the remainder of the weekend as he pondered his options for today’s visit of Torquay United.

“Aldershot posed us one problem, and Torquay will pose us a completely different problem. Because of the players I’ve got, you need to juggle things about sometimes.

“At one point this week (leading up to Saturday), I was considering making three, four or five changes, because we’ve got two games in three days.

“I just felt that the starting 11 played so well last week that they deserved another opportunity (against Aldershot). But I made three substitutions and they have all made a difference.’

Josh Payne and Yemi Odubade were the other Spitfires’ subs to excel, but it was striker James Constable, with his fifth goal in six games this term, who got his side off the mark, sending an exquisite first-half lob over Smith.

Charlie Walker hit back for a resurgent Shots with 26 minutes left before Cook’s last-gasp heroics.

While Hill was eager to pay tribute to his players, after a victory that has sent the Spitfires up to third in the embryonic National League table, there was also a word for his club’s supporters – 199 of whom were in fine voice throughout.

“The support was sensational, absolutely fantastic.

“We’ve taken them on a good ride over three years (since Hill took charge at the Silverlake). But I’ve got to pay credit to them today. “I have felt in the past that some of the criticism towards me has been unjust, but credit where credit is due today, because they were supporting the team for the whole of the 90 minutes. “The players appreciate that enormously, and our supporters made today feel like a Football League game.”