Hill still hopeful of making finals

Eastleigh boss Richard Hill has told his players to keep the belief after they slumped to a 3-1 play-off semi-final, first-leg defeat to Dover Athletic.

Goals from Moses Ademola, Daryl McMahon and Ben May ensure the Whites are in the driving seat heading into the second leg at the Crabble on Saturday.

Chris Zebroski pulled one back for the Spitfires at the Silverlake Stadium. However, Hill is still hopeful of turning the tie around, especially with away goals not counting double.

“The goal gives us hope, we have to believe we can get back into the tie,” he told the Daily Echo. “The pressure will be back on Dover and we’ll make sure we go there in a positive frame of mind.

“We’ll need the rub of the green this time – I estimated that only 25 per cent of the decisions went our way – but we have to be careful we don’t concede an early goal again.”

Hill also felt that his side’s poor first-half showing is what put the first leg beyond them.

“The first-half performance was poor, we didn’t get going and were second best but we were not helped by an incompetent referee,” he added.

“I was disappointed, but not surprised, that we didn’t get a penalty for handball.

“Adam can’t raise his hands but if the official had been doing his job properly that situation would not have arisen.”

Posted: Wednesday, May 01, 2013