BROCKENHURST’S Pat McManus said his side were “killed” by the match officials in Saturday’s 5-1 defeat by Verwood Town.

The Badgers had Lewis Gundry and Tom Pigford sent off, a massive penalty shout turned down and a goal disallowed during what the boss described as a “surreal” and “farcical” afternoon of Sydenhams Premier action at Grigg Lane.

To add to Brock’s burning sense of injustice, they were convinced Verwood’s second and third goals were blatantly offside.

Even Verwood boss Carl Poore admitted afterwards: “Brockenhurst were unlucky in that they had a goal disallowed and hit the crossbar and had a few decisions go against them.”

That was an understatement in the eyes of McManus, pictured, who said: “Some of the decisions from the officials were mind-blowingly incorrect.

“I’ve never been one to publicly slate referees, I understand they have a difficult job, but for their decisions to do that much damage in one game is incredible.”

It had all started so well for Brock with Mark Barker giving them a ninth-minute lead.

But, within three minutes, Lewis Gundry was adjudged to have been last man when he brought down Tyler Rutten.

Brock argued that Rutten had been going away from goal and that Harry Jeffries was covering but, after consulting with his linesman, referee Jon Dolbear showed Gundry red.

An offside flag was raised when Brock’s Braiden Hamilton slammed home a half-cleared free-kick, but if that decision was open to debate, the next one was embarrassingly wrong in McManus’s view.

“Brad Magookin went one-on-one with the full-back inside the area and was blatantly taken out high up the ankle, resulting in him having to come off injured,” said the Brock boss. “But, once again, the ref consulted the linesman who said ‘no’ it wasn’t a penalty.”

Jordan Fisk levelled for Verwood before half-time and after stomaching what looked like two offside goals, Brock were reduced to nine men around the hour mark when Pigford walked for an alleged two-footed tackle.

“The ref gave a free-kick but some of the Verwood players were screaming that it was two-footed, so the ref went over to his linesman again to see if it was or wasn’t two-footed even though he’d been standing a metre away,” said McManus.

“It was a mad afternoon, you had to be there to believe it.

“Their second and third goals were offside – the Verwood players and management team were aware of that and so was everyone in the ground.

“I felt sorry for our lads. It wasn’t fair on them or on the people who had paid to go through the gate.”

Tyler Rutten, Tom Whelan (2) and Charlie Gajic were also on target for the Potters as they made it eight wins from 12. It was the perfect present for Poore on his 32nd birthday.