EASTLEIGH boss Richard Hill will demand a much improved performance in Saturday's FA Cup first round tie against Boreham Wood after revealing he was "embarrassed" by the Spitfires' performance in 3-2 defeat to Maidenhead United, who began the day as the National League's bottom club.
The Spitfires went 2-0 down after just 13 minutes but despite a Scott Quigley inspired second half fightback, it was not enough to turn around the result.
A second consecutive loss leaves Eastleigh in 11th place in the league before they host Boreham Wood - for the third year running in the FA Cup - at the Silverlake Stadium, 3pm.
Hill said: "That is not good enough. I am absolutely embarrassed by that performance.
"It is okay playing when you are 2-0 down and pinning them back. That was the design of the game, (Maidenhead) sat deep. That is not good enough.
"I told the players that it is not acceptable. You cannot come away from home and start a game of football like that."
Hill made two substitutions during the first half of the game with Aidan Barlow and Nigel Atangana replacing Corey Panter and Jayden Harris.
The Eastleigh manager admitted that he could have made more changes at the time.
He added: "I could have changed 11. We had to try and get a bit of ascendancy. We had to try and get a goal before halftime.
"I have looked at myself. I have looked at my performance over the last week. There are things that I need to improve on. Likewise, there is a lot that the players need to improve on."
Maidenhead ended a 13-match winless streak in the National League by hanging on to edge out Eastleigh and move off the bottom of the table.
The hosts were two up inside 15 minutes. Remy Clerima opened the scoring in a goalmouth scramble, then Casey Pettit was upended in the area and Ashley Nathaniel-George beat goalkeeper Joe McDonnell from the spot.  
Scott Quigley, effectively Spitfires' lone striker in the absence of injured top scorer Paul McCallum, headed Eastleigh back into the contest.
Reece Smith's deft footwork and fine finish restored the two-goal cushion and even though Quigley curled home deep into stoppage time, Maidenhead held on to secure a first win in the league since August 19.
Eastleigh have now lost three of their last four National League games.