FORMER Bournemouth ace, John Bailey, scored the first own goal of his career to kick-start a third successive win for Totton.

But Chris Collinge, speaking after what could be his last game as Brock boss, insisted on heaping praise on his midfielder.

Playmaker Bailey had never been credited with an OG in 149 games for the Cherries.

But at Testwood Park on Saturday, he poked one past Brockenhurst keeper Steve Staples from ten yards to give top-of the-table Totton the lead against the run of play.

Collinge, though, refused to blame the 32-year-old for his 22nd minute gaffe.

He said: "I thought John Bailey was terrific again for us today and I'm not going to blame him for the own goal, his team-mates have done that!

"He had another very good game for us in midfield and once again you could tell that he had played professional football.

"Both John and Paul Masters, the Totton midfielder, have played for Bournemouth and I think they stood out from the rest today."

Totton livewire Patrick James was initially credited with the home side's opener, but Bailey held up his hands afterwards and admitted: "That was the first own goal of my career and I still can't believe it.

"I was under pressure from Patrick James but I think I had time to stop it and clear it. I was trying to hook my foot round it but toe poked it in.

"The lads have give me some serious stick, all of which is unrepeatable!"

Bailey's prompting from midfield was one of the main factors behind an impressive Brockenhurst performance in the first 20 minutes.

But the Bournemouth-based midfielder, who quit the professional game because of a bad back, struggled with a hamstring injury in the second half and was replaced five minutes from time.

He admitted: "The break didn't do me any good, my hamstring seized up."

Former Pompey apprentice Alex Totten belted a 25 yard volley past Steve Staples before Martin Whiddett headed a third for the home side on 38 minutes.

And Kevin Reacord made it 4-1 on the stroke of half time after Jimmy Anderson had pulled a goal back for the visitors 42 minutes.

Anderson fired his second of the afternoon through a packed Totton rearguard on 53 minutes for the only goal of the second half.

But Brock returned to the New Forest on the back of a sixth successive defeat

Collinge added: "The players reckon Paul Sims' effort, before John's own goal, had gone two yards over the line.

"It could have been different if that had been allowed and it's difficult to put my finger on what's going wrong.

"We haven't drawn a game yet this season, it's either win or lose with us and the players know that they're defending badly as a team.

"A 0-0 draw today would have been lovely, but I thought we showed a lot of character. They scored some very good goals towards the end of the first half but there was only one team in it after the break."

Totton boss Ian Robinson said: "I think Paddy James will be claiming that first goal off John Bailey!

"We played well as a team today, the best performance for some time.

"Brockenhurst came at us in the second half but we had plenty of men behind the ball and they lacked a bit of penetration.

"But we're top of the table going into the New Year and scored some very good goals today. It was a very satisfying win.