EASTLEIGH welcome Bromley to the Silverlake Stadium on Saturday desperate for a first win in seven Vanarama National League games.
But the blossoming form of young midfielder Cavaghn Miley provides at least one good reason why it’s not all doom and gloom at the Silverlake.
Eastleigh were pointed in the 22-year-old Jersey boy's direction by former Aston Villa boss Brian Little.
And while Miley is not yet the finished article, manager Richard Hill has high hopes for him and believes he could have the X-factor.
“Cav’s a good player, I like him and I think he’ll get better. I genuinely think we've got something there if we can guide him and show him. He’s got to want it himself too - and I think he does.
“Even when he came into training, it was the highest level of football Cav had ever played, but if he carries on listening, learning and doing the right things, potentially he’s got a bright future.
“He needs to play off his right foot a bit more and he's given a couple of goals away that he shouldn’t have. But he’s improved unbelievably, especially as he’s playing in a tough area of a team that ain’t doing particularly well at the moment.
“He came to us highly recommended by Brian Little and that adds pressure in itself.
"Brian’s stature in the game means people sit up and listen, which adds that little more weight of pressure. But so far Cav’s handled it fantastically.
“He scored a couple of goals for us in the Hampshire Senior Cup the other night and Cav’s got that in his game. I’d imagine the Jersey team he played for sat him in front of a back four, but we’ve identified that he needs to get in the opposition box more than he does.”
Miley was not the only youngster to make an impression on Hill in Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Bournemouth Poppies. Former Saints and Stoke academy defender Harvey Read showed up well, as did young striker Ollie Dennett coming off the bench.
“Harvey came to the club ‘academy-fied’, which is not comparable to National League football, and the staff have put a lot of work into teaching him,” Hill explained. “Ollie did very well too. He's coming on in leaps and bounds in training.
“We’ve also got young Owen Fee, who wasn’t involved the other night, and you’d like to think he’d keep progressing.
“Ollie's dual-signed with Brockenhurst and Owen with Lymington Town and thanks to those clubs for letting them come back when we need them.”
Saturday's visitors Bromley sit seventh, having lost just one of their last six in the league.
They are 11 points better off than 19th-placed Eastleigh.
Fit-again Spitfires wideman Sam Wood will be back in contention after featuring against Poppies, but it’s too soon yet for Sam Togwell, Reda Johnson, Ryan Cresswell and Michael Green.
Top scorer Ben Williamson is out until January with hamstring trouble.
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