FOLLAND Sports boss Danny Bowers admitted Saturday’s 2-1 victory over Brockenhurst was “more about the three points than the performance”.

With limbs still aching after their midweek FA Cup replay at Frome Town, Bowers was just pleased to nick a vital win that lifts his side to seventh.

“Brockenhurst are a decent side who’d had seven days to prepare for the game, whereas we’d only had two,” he said.

“We looked really weary and it showed in the way we died off after starting the game well.

“We tired quickly, which is not like us, but I can’t knock the lads.

“We knew that if we wanted to do anything in the league, we had to win on Saturday and I think we just shaded a close game.”

Follands got off to a storming start with skipper Jamie Barron converting from close-range just two minutes in.

Ryan Long then hit the side netting and Ashley Jarvis went close before Planemakers’s ’keeper Ryan Gosney pulled off a point-blank save to deny Daryll Phillips at the other end.

“Brockenhurst were much improved in the second half and they deserved their equaliser but, to be fair, I don’t think Daryll Phillips knew much about it,” laughed Bowers.

“The ball came across from one side, they’ve smashed it back in and Daryll was on the floor and it’s hit him and gone in.

“That woke us up a bit and we got a penalty when Ashley Jarvis was brought down, but their ’keeper Rory Anderson has pulled off a good save from Ryan Long.”

It was the towering figure of centre-back Matt Burt who emerged as Follands’ match-winner, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the vision of midfielder Barron.

Bowers explained: “We had a free-kick in their half with about ten or 15 minutes to go. We’ve put it in the area and it’s come back out to Jamie who’s chipped a great ball up and over the defence. Matt’s evaded the offside and slipped it under the ’keeper.

“I’ve got to give our lads massive credit. They were dead on their feet playing against a good Brockenhurst side sitting in the top five.”

Making his debut for Brock was 17-year-old striker Jamie Betteridge, newly signed from Follands.

“Jamie did well and I’m sure he’ll score plenty of goals for them,” said Bowers. “But Matt Burt and Callum Brockway marked him well.”

New in at Follands is right-back Ollie Warren, signed from league rivals Horndean.