Ben Strevens has revealed he would not turn down the chance to make his interim tenure at Whitehawk more permanent.

But the experienced midfielder is happy with a caretaker role for now as he helps Alan Payne try to see the club through more upheaval.

Hawks are searching for a third boss of the season and fourth of 2016 after Richard Hill left to take up a recruitment post at Aston Villa.

The stand-in managerial duo masterminded a superb 1-0 win at free-scoring St Albans in an FA Trophy replay on Tuesday.

They get their first home outing tomorrow when Gosport Borough visit in National League south.

Strevens was brought in by Hill and has been working as his assistant while also playing in midfield. Hill has backed his credentials for the top job on a more permanent basis.

Hawks, who appointed Pablo Asensio on a two-year deal in the summer and replaced him with Hill a month into the season, are taking their time over an appointment.

Asensio finished last season as caretaker following the decision to sack Steve King.

Strevens told The Argus: “As it stands right now, Alan and I are doing it together. It’s so up in the air.

“I wouldn’t turn the job down and I’m not getting any younger.

“But it’s up to the people at the football club.”

Hill completed his move to Villa on Monday and speculation over his future was rife around the Enclosed Ground clubhouse during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with St Albans, which led to the replay.

Strevens said: “I knew something was happening with Richard a few days beforehand but I never actually thought he was going to leave.

“It has been tough but I think having another game so soon and getting such a good result helped me and the boys. We just tried to move on as quickly as we could.

“St Albans are a good side. Al told the boys they were the fourth top scorers in the country so to keep a clean sheet and play as well as we did was very pleasing.

“We got a good result in a bit of adversity. Everyone worked hard and that was the main thing.

“We know that, as long as we do that, we have got good players.”

Strevens is taking care of training and playing matters while Payne, the club’s director of football, offers expertise in other areas.

He said: “Alan has had a lot to do with recruitment. He knows players in and around this level.”

Stevens played for Hill at Eastleigh, where he was converted from his previous role as a striker.

He knows his former boss’s way of playing inside-out but could make tweaks to the way the Hawks side are set up.

Danny Mills worked as a lone frontman at St Albans and scored the only goal.

Stevens said: “We went with something a bit different. We had Millsy up top and a more solid midfield.

“But Richard might have done that as well for that game.

“Sometimes things work. Sometimes they don’t.

“It can go one or two ways when the manager leaves.

“You can lose your heads or come together and work really hard.

“We deserved to get the result. Hopefully that will be the way it is.”

Spanish defender Ramon Marimon epitomised the spirit Stevens will want with his performance at St Albans.

The former Espanyol B-teamer, who has struggled for game time, produced his best display yet after behind handed a third successive start.

Strevens said: “Ramon is getting stronger and stronger and that is probably because he wanted to prove a point.

“He’s a good player and he has got Paul Reid next to him, which helps, “Ramon’s a proper man – it was headers, blocks and tackles.”

“Some of the boys have been disappointed with a lack of opportunities but that could change now.

“Having said that, the boys who have got the shirts will stay in if they keep performing.

“That’s the way it will always be while I am here.”

Alex Osborn, brought back from Margate as Hill’s final signing, comes into the squad to play Gosport.