Leatherhead’s five match unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt at East Thurrock on Saturday as they were thoroughly outplayed by a resurgent Rocks side, who left with a comfortable 3-0 win.

Three unanswered goals midway through the second half undid the visitors, who barely managed a shot on target over 90 minutes of scrappy football, played on a heavily sanded Rookery Hill pitch.

Leatherhead manager Richard Brady selected the same starting 11 that had lined up against Met Police on Monday, with the exception of new signing Robert Haworth coming into the team in place of Colin Richmond.

Tanners started promisingly enough, winning three corners in the opening three minutes, but came up against a more than capable East Thurrock defence who dealt seamlessly with every Leatherhead attack.

Tanners barely managed a shot at goal in the opening half, opting to launch every move down the middle and failing to make full use of the width of the pitch to attack down the flanks.

Leatherhead’s ball distribution was also disappointing as, more often than not, a wayward Tanners’ pass would be swept up by the Rocks’ defence.

A fleeting opportunity came the visitors’ way after 23 minutes. Mark Simmons got a ball through to Kev Terry deep in the Rocks half. Terry managed to head the ball down before seeing his shot blocked and cleared for a throw in.

Liam Pestle took the throw quickly, finding Simmons unmarked near the edge of the area, but the Leatherhead captain’s hasty shot went well wide of the target.

East Thurrock’s first chance to break the deadlock came after 28 minutes, as Petrit Elbi jinked his way past three Tanners defenders before shooting over from the edge of the box.

Leatherhead only managed to test East Thurrock goalkeeper, Richard Wray, once during the opening half. After 39 minutes, Terry found a way through the Rocks defence to hit a low shot from the edge of the area, but the ball was safely gathered up by the keeper.

The match briefly livened up just before the half time interval. Sam Higgins fired a long range effort wide for the Rocks, before Leatherhead’s Haworth tried to lob Wray from distance, with the ball going over the top.

The Rocks eventually broke the stalemate with a goal after 55 minutes. Greg Cohen dribbled the ball in from the left before Higgins took it from him and drilled it hard and low past Chico Ramos from the edge of the box.

Worse was to follow two minutes later, as the Tanners conceded a second goal. Once gain Cohen was the provider and Higgins the finisher, as no one picked up the Rocks’ leading scorer at a corner and had room in the middle of the area to shoot past Ramos.

Richard Brady tried to change tactics after 62 minutes, with Greg Andrew and Jack Pallen replacing Billy Manners and Vernon Francis in a double substitution. Andrews created a bit of extra width down the left, while Pallen had a shot at goal that sailed high over the bar.

Leatherhead’s defensive frailties were compounded after 70 minutes when, once again, they failed to pick up players at a set piece. Cohen sent another sweeping corner in from the right and this time Kris Newby was left unmarked to head home from close range.

The Rocks could have scored again near the end, but Ramos did well to block a Higgins shot and made a good save from Simon Peddie’s free header.

Tanners will have to put this performance behind them and regroup ahead of Tuesday’s Surrey Senior Cup tie at South Park before the visit of fellow strugglers Hastings United to Fetcham Grove in the Ryman League next Saturday.

Leatherhead: Ramos, Pestle, Gross, Boulter, Coyle, Simmons, Francis (Pallen 62), Terry, Haworth (Thompson 46), Hutchings, Manners (Andrews 62).

Unused subs: R Hill, Nnamani.