Eastleigh will have key home advantage in the Ryman Premier League play-off semi-finals on May 4 after clinching third place with an undistinguished single-goal victory over Heybridge Swifts.

The likelihood is that either Braintree Town or Hampton & Richmond will be visiting the Sparshatts Stadium on Wednesday week.

But Eastleigh won't know their final placing until after next Saturday's final round of matches.

Paul Doswell's side could still finish runners-up to Yeading if they win at relegated Dover Athletic, but that would mean Billericay Town (currently second) slipping up at home to Hendon - and that seems a little unlikely.

"The main thing is that we got the result we needed against Heybridge and have got a home game in the play-offs. Who we play in the semi-finals is immaterial," Doswell said.

The Eastleigh manager's more immediate concern is the fitness of 24-goal Andy Forbes, who missed the Heybridge victory through injury.

"Andy's been feeling a hamstring injury, but that may have been caused by a problem in his back," Doswell confirmed.

Forbes was due to see a chiropractor today.

Eastleigh's scrambled ninth-minute winner rather summed up a tired end-of-season affair.

Ryan Ashford hoisted a right-hand corner kick into the Heybridge six-yard box. Rob Marshall climbed to get a vital touch among a ruck of defenders and the ball bounced off Swifts' Paul O'Donoghue and across the line.

With only an FA Cup goal against Barnstaple Town to his name this season, Marshall was quick to claim the credit!

Paul Sales, who saw a goalbound effort hacked off the line from an identical set-piece situation on the half-hour, provided Eastleigh's only other threat before the break.

"I thought we did alright in the first half, but as the game wore on tiredness began to take its toll.

"We sat back deeper, but fair play to them, they hit it long in the second half and their tall guys up front gave us some trouble," Doswell reflected.

But, though they had a few scares, Eastleigh's Scrooge-like defence - penetrated only once in the last nine games and not at all in the last six - held firm.

The leggy Cliff Akurang used his pace to good effect, but his final ball was often wasted - as too were two good chances offered up to and squandered by Ryman top-shot Carl Griffiths, a £200,000 buy by Portsmouth back in the mid-Nineties.

Goalkeeper Wayne Shaw left the ground happily clutching the sponsors Man-of-the-Match award - but, in truth, Eastleigh's form man was seldom stretched.

Eastleigh: Shaw, Warren, Ashford, Thomas, Collins, Marshall, Smith, Haddow (Blake, 76), Sales, Dyke (Stokoe, 63), McAllister. Subs unused: Oliver, Bright, Beck.

Heybridge Swifts: Rutherford, Artun, Cousins, Shinn, Barber, O'Donoghue, Edwards, Hudson (Marks, 73), Griffiths, Abbott, Akurang. Subs unused: Baker, Pollard, Statham, Placcid.

Referee: M Bryant (Bristol. Attendance: 400.