Assistant manager David Hughes was disappointed but not totally surprised to see Eastleigh's six-match winning streak grind to a halt at lowly Corby Town on Saturday.

Although absent team boss Paul Doswell said beforehand that the Wessex champions were capable of finishing higher than their original top-six target, ex-Saint Hughes said: "Personally I think we're a top-six side but we're not much better than that.

"We've got to keep in perspective what we've done in a short space of time. When you bring in new players it takes time to imprint on them what you want to do and, although we're capable of playing any team off the park, it's the little bits of professionalism we're lacking.

"We should have come away with something from Corby, but there have been a few occasions this season when we haven't been clever enough to make sure we won the game.

"It's disappointing, but Saturday's result doesn't surprise me.

"At home I'd back us to beat anyone, but I've never sat here and said we're anywhere near the finished product. We're the new boys in the big boys' league.

"There are some long, old journeys in this league and, whoever you play will come out and have a right go. All you need is three or four players who don't fancy it and you'll get turned over like we did at Corby.

"It's a learning curve and it'll come with a bit of experience. Sometimes you just have to accept that it was one of those days."

Eastleigh were in control early on with Nicky Banger denied by a goalline clearance and Robbie Matthews and Hughes both going close. But the longer the game remained at 0-0, the more confident Corby became and they scored just before the hour mark when Lee Glover flicked on a free kick for Bobby White to stab home.