Sam Hoskins was delighted to turn out to be the match winner at the weekend, with his first-half strike proving to be the difference against Eastleigh as a 1-0 win sent the Bees went five points clear at the top of the league.

Speaking after the game, the striker reflected on his goal as well as an early chance that saw him hit the post inside the first minute:

“I know my goal took a bit of a deflection but I will still claim that. I thought the lads did really well. We battled until the end and we definitely deserved the win, so it’s a good feeling.

“I was a bit surprised myself, to find myself in that position early on. I hit it well but unfortunately I hit the post and it came back out but I am glad to have got my goal in the end and even better that it was a winning one.

Having scored his second goal in four games since arriving on loan from Yeovil Town last month, the 21-year old is pleased to have hit the ground running at The Hive and feels that he is settling in well:

“All the lads and the manager have made me feel really welcome, so it is definitely a good place to be when we are getting results home and away. It is a nice club to be at and hopefully I can stay in the team and keep getting goals.

“I like playing off a big man. John Akinde can battle and I try and pick up the pieces and that is how the goal came about. It seems to be working well for us and he is getting goals as well, so hopefully we can make it a good partnership.

“Martin certainly knows how to get the best out of people. From what I have seen of him, he is a good manager and I have enjoyed my time so far here.

“It is obviously good for my personal development. Those are things I need: games and goals, so it is going well at the moment, so hopefully I can carry it on.”

Having scored the goal to take Barnet five points clear at the top, Hoskins is now looking to ensure that the team maintain their current run of form, starting with the trip to Macclesfield tomorrow night:

“We thought that the teams that were around us would be winning but we were not to know they were losing, so I think we did really well to stick it out. They had a goal disallowed late on, which was a bit nerve-wracking, but we did really well as a team to see it out.

“The gaffer told us straight away that the other teams around us had lost, so we were really pleased that we had gone five points clear. Now hopefully we can push on and widen that gap.”