STEVE Hollick felt AFC Totton “probably played the better football” at Bridgwater Town on Saturday.

But a younger than normal Stags side paid the price for their inexperience in a 3-1 Southern One South & West defeat.

“Three mistakes cost us three goals,” caretaker boss Hollick reflected.

“We probably played the better football, but Bridgwater were a bit more streetwise than us.”

With Liam Hibberd (jaw) and Taylor Edwards (back) sidelined by injury and Ben Beccles dropping out in the pre-match warm-up, Hollick gave two of the club’s most promising youngsters a chance to show what they could do.

He deployed reserve team skipper Jake Rawkins on the left of midfield and put fellow 16-yearold Jake Burgess into the centre of the park with Liam Gilbert and Jack Hoey.

The pair contributed to some promising attacking play, but Totton were undone by mistakes at the back.

Bridgwater seized a 15th-minute lead when young Rawkins conceded a free-kick some 35 yards out on Totton’s left.

Goalkeeper Steve Mowthorpe couldn’t reach Tom Knighton’s floated delivery, giving Joe Bushin the easy task of heading into an empty net.

It was a similar story midway through the first half when, this time, central defender Rob Flooks failed to deal with a high ball. His attempted headed clearance lacked power and distance and looped to Dave O’Hare who headed in number two.

After a strong start to the second half, Totton replied with a powerful Stuart Mott header from a right wing corner.

But any thoughts of a fightback were snuffed out on 76 minutes when an awkward bounce got the better of Totton defender Ellis White, inviting O’Hare to smash home his second of the game from 25 yards.

“As a group, we’re a bit low on confidence and we’re trying to change things around a bit by getting the ball down and playing a bit more football,” Hollick explained.

“We looked better going forward and created more than we have for a couple of games. Some of our build-up play involving Jake Burgess, Jack Hoey, Nathaniel Sherborne and Craig Feeney was really good and that was a massive positive.

“But defensively we weren’t as solid as we have been and we were punished for our mistakes.

“Bridgwater are a big Southern League side and in the first halfhour we didn’t deal with the physical side defensively.

“We need to be a bit more streetwise and try to eradicate mistakes.”

Totton – now 13 games without a win – round off their home programme against relegationbattling Bishops Cleeve this Saturday before heading to Tiverton Town on the final day (April 25)