BEN Strevens isn’t just looking for his Eastleigh side to finally nail down a top-seven spot tomorrow afternoon – he wants a convincing performance to go with it.

History suggests that momentum is all-important heading into the play-offs but, as the Spitfires prepare for their final home game against Maidenhead United (3pm), they are stumbling rather than cruising towards the finish line.

After establishing themselves as the form team of the National League, Eastleigh have gone to the opposite extreme, losing four of their last five games.

But with their rivals also floundering, they could yet finish as high as sixth if results go in their favour this week.

It’s a matter of concern for Strevens, though, that the Spitfires looked woefully short of play-off pedigree in Good Friday’s 2-0 defeat at Dagenham & Redbridge when they were undone by goals either side of half-time.

With a three-point advantage on chasing Ebbsfleet, the boss knows his side still have a really strong chance of finishing top-seven, but he said: “For me it’s more about consistency of what we’re trying to do.

“Of course we want to get into the play-offs, that’s what we set out to do from day one of the season.

“But, like I said to the boys (after the Dagenham defeat), if we perform like that when we make the play-offs, we won’t do ourselves proud.

“The short-term aim is to make the play-offs and that would be an amazing achievement for what we’ve been through from the start of the season.

“But, longer-term, I want to see consistency from the boys. Wherever we go, I want us to be a good football team – but today was one of those days when we didn’t look like that team.

“For most of the season we have played like a play-off team and a lot of places we’ve gone people will probably have gone away saying a lot of good things about us.

“But today, for whatever reason, we didn’t show the best of ourselves.

“Credit to Dagenham, second half they were better than us. I was looking for a response from our boys and it didn’t happen.

“Dagenham got a second goal and, if I’m honest, they could have had a third if it wasn’t for a great save by Luke (Southwood).”

Tomorrow's visitors Maidenhead are labouring down in 20th spot, albeit 11 points clear of the drop zone.

It’s a game Eastleigh could and should win and Strevens said: “If we take care of our performance and get the three points, who knows, it could be a really good day at the Silverlake.”

Strevens’ predecessor Andy Hessenthaler could do his old club a favour if his Dover side can put a spoke in Ebbsfleet’s challenge at Stonebridge Road.

*Blackfield & Langley have been crowned Evo-Stik Division One South champions – a year after winning the Wessex League.

On-loan Eastleigh striker Tom Bearwish opened the scoring as the Watersiders sealed the title with a 4-0 home win over Evesham.