With the monkey of their dismal FA Trophy exit off their backs, Hakan Hayrettin's Braintree Town will go in search of more crucial Vanarama National League points at Eastleigh tonight.

Despite it not being his team's most fluent display of the season, Hayrettin felt Saturday's home win against fellow relegation battlers North Ferriby United was a vital one for them.

They had lost 5-2 in the Trophy at Dulwich Hamlet in their previous outing and the Iron boss knew how important it was to get over that disappointment quickly so they can move on in the quest for league survival.

They continue that at 13th-placed Eastleigh tonight, knowing that another positive result could lift them seven points clear of the bottom four.

"We had to show last weekend that we could bounce back," said Hayrettin.

"Yes, we rode our luck and there was no doubt about that, but that result showed that the players have it within them to go out there and win games of football like that.

"I think the respect is mutual between me and them.

"I told them at half-time that they needed to do a little bit better to win the game and I think they did that.

"North Ferriby had some good chances, but I was just happy with the points because we needed to get the monkey off our backs after the FA Trophy.

"That was especially important for the players and I was happy for them because they needed to show people that they are good enough.

"I was pleased because I felt they did that."

Meanwhile, Hayrettin said he expected to have to test the fitness of striker Michael Cheek ahead of their trip to Eastleigh.

Despite a swollen ankle keeping him sidelined for their previous game, the Iron's top scorer came through an assessment to face North Ferriby but Hayrettin admitted that he would be checked again for tonight's fixture.

"We will see about Cheeky," said the Iron boss.

"He texted me before the North Ferriby game and said that he was ready, so we gave him a fitness test that he came through.

"I thought he looked better although he wasn't back to his best.

"So we'll see how he is for Eastleigh."