Eastleigh v Reading: Boss Richard Hill says only victory will do for Spitfires

The Silverlake Stadium will play host to more than 5,000 fans on Sunday afternoon

Manager Richard Hill says Eastleigh's FA Cup tie against Reading will only be a great occasion if they win.

The National League Spitfires have reached the second round for the fifth time in nine years and welcome the League One side in a TV game on Sunday.

"It's a big occasion for the club. There'll be 5,000-plus people in the ground," Hill told BBC Radio Solent.

"That's good news, the revenue is good news, but it will only be a great occasion if we win."

Hill added: "You want to say it's just another game but it isn't just another game. To be part of it is great. There is a lot of noise about the place and we want to make sure that carries on, otherwise at 4pm on Sunday everyone is gone and it's just us again.

"I have said to them, for some of the older lads this might be the last time they experience anything like this. For the younger ones you have to relish it and make you sure you have this again."

Hill oversaw a second-round loss to Southport in his previous stint in charge but missed Eastleigh taking Bolton to a third-round replay in 2016 before going out to Brentford at the same stage 12 months later.

Hill says the Royals are a different proposition to the side which lost all five league games in October and revealed he left Reading's 5-1 home win over Carlisle on Tuesday early to avoid dampening his mood.

"Reading have picked up, unfortunately," he said.

"I went to watch them the other night and left after 65 minutes because I didn't want to watch anymore.

"I'm not sure how they'll approach it - they've got quite a big squad. All we can do is prepare ourselves. Hopefully we all turn up. We need to be ready because it's going to be a tough game.

"If we were to play Reading 10 times they'd beat us nine, without a doubt. We've got to make sure this is the 10th. We have to play smart, make good decisions and make this a great occasion for everyone involved with the club."

'I need to be sure my team is ready'

Reading boss Ruben Selles is wary of the threat posed by the Spitfires as he knows only too well what it is like to be on the end of an FA Cup giant-killing.

"I lost with Southampton last season against Grimsby at home, I know what it is in those kind of games when you are not 100% focused and the problem is you don't realise until you are there, your legs are not moving and you are 1-0 down," he told BBC Radio Berkshire.

"It cannot happen, it should not happen, we should go there and play the game and put all of our potential out there. I need to be sure my team is ready for that."

Ruben Selles was in charge of Southampton when they lost to Grimsby in the last-16 in March

Reading have picked up three wins and a draw in five games in November and Selles said: "I think it's been a good month where the team performed well. We need to take it step by step.

"We go again on Sunday, we have an amazing game in the cup, we want to do well. Hopefully we can put performances like in November in December when we have eight games."

While he plans to rotate his squad, Selles warned: "You know those away games against opposition that is in the lower leagues is always difficult because a lot of things become equal. We cannot go there and think the difference in leagues is going to give us anything.

"I will be sure that my team goes there to compete because we want to be in the third round."