REPORTS are emerging connecting Eastleigh boss Andy Hessenthaler with a possible move back to Dover Athletic.

It is understood that the Spitfires have given the 53-year-old permission to speak to Dover, who have just parted company with Chris Kinnear.

Hessenthaler lives in Kent and has both played for and managed Dover in the past, making him a good fit for the Whites.

But, from Hessenthaler’s perspective, it would be a question of whether he is prepared to swop a side now pushing for the Vanarama National League play-offs for one currently facing a relegation scrap.

Today’s 2-1 result at Braintree Town was the Spitfires fourth win on the trot and their sixth game without defeat, taking them tenth in the table.

Dover, on the other hand, have picked up just seven points all season – a poor start which cost Kinnear his job.

The 64-year-old had been in charge at Crabble since 2013. It was his second spell at the helm, having previously been there from 1985 to 1995.

Kinnear’s assistant Jake Leberl has been placed in temporary charge, but the downward spiral continued today as Dover were beaten 4-1 at home by leaders Salford City.

Hessenthaler was appointed Eastleigh boss in mid-December having joined the club as Richard Hill’s assistant for the start of last season.

Initially he worked without a contract, but he and his assistant Ben Strevens penned deals back in May.

Eastleigh were 2-0 up by half-time at bottom-of-the-table Braintree today thanks to strike duo Paul McCallum and Chris Zebroski.

The opening goal arrived on 16 minutes when Mark Yeates headed down for McCallum to bury his sixth goal of the season from close range.

On-loan Sunderland goalkeeper Max Stryjek again showed his class, pushing Mohamed Bettamer’s powerful blast onto the bar to preserve Eastleigh’s lead.

He then came out on top in a one-on-one with Jake Bass before the Spitfires doubled their lead on 37 minutes.

Yeates again provided the assist, seeking out Zebroski who rounded the keeper to net his first goal of the campaign.

Braintree pulled one back on 72 minutes when Bettamer headed in at the back stick but Eastleigh stubbornly refused to crumble in the face of late pressure.

Hessenthaler said afterwards: “We were 2-0 up at half-time and we hadn’t played that well really. We needed a bit more composure on the ball, but that’s me nit-picking. They’re bottom of the table and fighting for their lives and this is not an easy place to come.

“I said to them (the Eastleigh players) that if they want to win the game, they will win the game.

“More than technical ability, it’s about mental strength coming to these places like this, like it was at Gateshead last week, and we showed that again today.

“They threw everything at us at the death and caused us problems. Maybe last year we would have crumbled a bit, but today we stayed strong. It was a good, professional performance.”