Worcester City boss Richard Dryden said his side deserved to be punished as they went down 4-1 at Eastleigh.

New loan striker Marvin Brown marked his debut with a goal but that was the only highlight for City.

Dryden told BBC Hereford & Worcester: "We were totally out-battled and outplayed and what they did they did better than us today.

"We knew they were going to be a threat from set-plays and they were on the front foot all game."

City headed to Hampshire expecting a tough game against an Eastleigh side that had reached the Blue Square South play-offs last season.

The home side took the early initiative when Andy Forbes put them in front after 19 minutes but City hit back to level when Brown netted his debut goal seven minutes later.

Richard Gillespie restored Eastleigh's lead before the interval and the home side went on to make the game safe with second-half strikes from Anthony Riviere and Tony Taggart.

I think we have got a decent squad at the moment Worcester boss Richard Dryden

Dryden added: "We didn't create anything like as much as we have done in recent games. "We didn't play great and they played really well so fair play to Eastleigh."

Dryden criticised his players for not getting enough quality balls into the box for his new-look strikeforce of Marc McGregor and Brown.

But the City boss was delighted Brown had been able to mark his City debut by finding the net.

"I knew quite a bit about him as I tried to get him at the start of this season and last season," he said.

"He is one of those players who will come alive in the box and you can see his touch is decent.

"He does link up well and I think we have got a decent squad at the moment."

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