Eastleigh's management team of David Hughes and Paul Doswell may be Spitfires at heart, but they were thrilled with Saints' performance at the Silverlake Stadium.

Having jolted their Championship visitors with a fifth-minute Damien Scannell opener and gone close through Steve Watts, it looked as if the Blue Square Conference South side might have another surprise result up their sleeve having stunned George Burley's men 2-1 last year.

But with new loan signing Adam Hammill and David McGoldrick outstanding in the first half and the pace and movement of Nathan Dyer and Bradley Wright-Phillips running riot in the second, Saints' quality shone through in a 4-2 victory.

Midfielder Hughes, who spent an injury-wrecked decade with the Saints, still has a strong affection for his old club and has good vibes about the coming season.

"Saints just missed out on promotion last season and, looking at the squad and the way they play, I'd imagine they'll go close again," the Spitfires team boss predicted.

"Nathan Dyer gave us big problems, but they've got quality throughout. Their movement on and off the ball, coupled with their pace and fitness, is what hurts you as a non-League side.

"Sometimes you've just got to hold your hands up and say that's why they're where they are and we're playing at the level we're at.

"Southampton have done to us what we did to Poole Town in midweek when we beat them 4-0. That's how it works in football".

Eastleigh's football manager Paul Doswell, a life-long Saints fan, was throughly impressed with the quality Burley's men served up for a bumper 2,863 Stoneham Lane crowd.

"They were great," he smiled. "It was good for me watching that as a Saints fan.

"When you think about it, we've only lost Gareth Bale and Chris Baird and, on that evidence, we've got a real good chance of going up".

Five pages of Saints news and views in tomorrow's Daily Echo sports pullout.