PAT McManus never doubted that Brockenhurst had the measure of Follands Sports on Saturday – even when the Foresters fell 2-0 down.

For much of the game he felt his side lacked only an end product and, once Tom Hill had cracked the code in the 53rd minute, Brock surged back for a 4-2 Sydenhams Premier win at Grigg Lane.

Follands’ Ashley Jarvis conjured up a quality first-half opener after receiving Wayne Boud’s pass 25 yards out and that lead was doubled early in the second period when Matt Burt netted a thumping header from a corner by Jake Long, who then exited with a turned ankle.

Hill began Brock’s salvage operation when Follands needlessly conceded a free kick and Mark Barker squared the ball for Hill to bury.

The busy Barker made the second too, crossing for Tom Pigford to net, and then claimed the third himself by lobbing ’keeper Sam Scrase.

The Planemakers’ misery was complete when skipper Jamie Barron’s back pass slipped under Scrase’s foot for an own goal.

“It was a strange old game,” said McManus, whose side are eighth.

“We dominated from the start and, even though we went one down, I spoke at half-time about carrying on what we’d been doing but making sure we had an end product.

“Follands scored from their first corner of the second half, but there was no panic from us.

“They’d only ever threatened from long balls and set-pieces when we’d played before and that was the case again on Saturday.

“We kept going, showed good character and injected a bit extra into the final third. At times they were all over the place and couldn’t get the ball off us.”

Defeat made it five points dropped in two games for title-chasing Follands and assistant boss Dave Lewis felt they only had themselves to blame.

“At 2-0 up we should have knocked the ball into the trees for 35 minutes, but our game management deserted us,” he said. “In the end Brockenhurst could have had seven but for our keeper Sam Scrase who’s been outstanding while Ryan Gosney’s been out.

“Brock started brightly but there were pockets of the game when we were the better side. Nathan Lynch had the ball in the net at 1-0, but it was ruled out for handball even though not one Brock player appealed.

“When Burty made it 2-0 we were in cruise control and Brock didn’t look like scoring, but we made a really silly tackle and the free kick’s been deflected in.

“We’ve beaten ourselves really and, on top of that, we were up against a good side who are always up for it against the bigger clubs.”

Follands are sixth, 11 points behind leaders Moneyfields with three games in hand.

“We’ve got another tough game at Bemerton tonight (Tuesday) and we’ve got to be honest and look at ourselves,” said Lewis. “All the answers are in our dressing room and, if we find those answers, we’ll win the game of football.”

Ryan Long, absent on Saturday with flu, is working tonight and Boud (suspended), Jake Long (ankle) and Gosney (groin) also miss the Bemerton trip.

Ten-man Harlequins were caned 6-1 at home by Moneyfields on Saturday – Alfie Rutherford (3), Steve Hutchings (2) and sub Declan Seiden doing the damage.