AFC Totton
Image courtesy of Jon Ashworth
Watch Jimmy Ball's Post-Match Interview
Watch Scott Rendell's Post-Match Interview
Watch highlights of the SDFA Southampton Senior Cup Final 2023/24
STAGS SECURE SILVERWARE IN SOUTHAMPTON SENIOR CUP
It was third time lucky for AFC Totton in cup finals, as they comfortably dispatched Hythe & Dibden 4-1 in the Southampton Senior Cup final.
The Stags suffered woes in penalty shoot-out losses to Salisbury in the Southern Premier Division South Play-Off Final on Bank Holiday Monday and to AFC Portchester in the Hampshire Senior Cup Final last week, but Jimmy Ball's men soon put those miseries behind them at the Snows Stadium.
Leo TAYLOR opened his AFC Totton account within 28 seconds of thr kick-off, firing a shot home at the goalkeeper's near post to get the ball rolling.
Just two minutes later, Leon MALONEY doubled the Stags' advantage with a similar attempt. The attacking midfielder, also on the right side of the 18-yard box, placed a firm effort low into the near corner to give Totton a healthy lead.
AFC Totton scored their third in the 27th minute after Luke Bennett was clumsily fouled in the box, leaving Scott RENDELL to confidently convert the penalty - his 70th goal for the club since joining in the summer of 2022.
The goal of the day was Totton's fourth. After some clever link-up play around the box instigated by Matty Burrows, the ball eventually fell to Ethan TAYLOR - the older brother of Leo - who flashed a low fizzing effort from the left into the far corner.
Hythe & Dibden deservedly notched a consolation goal in the second half, as the dangerous Christos PAPAKONSTANTINOU scored from outside the area via a shot that deflected off Benny Read to loop over goalkeeper Lewis Noice.
The cup victory is AFC Totton's third successive SDFA Southampton Senior Cup win, equalling the previous three-in-a-row records set by Sholing Athletic in the 1920s, Netley Sports in the 1950s and Sholing (then known as VTFC) in the first decade of the 21st century. No team has ever won the competition on four consecutive occasions.
Final Score: AFC TOTTON 4-1 HYTHE & DIBDEN
Star Player: Scott Rendell
Entertainment Value: 3/5
Author: Olly Howard
The LONG READ: AFC Totton 4-1 Hythe & Dibden
Video highlights courtesy of Jon Ashworth, Side of the World
