AFC Totton
Image courtesy of PPA UK
By Josh Cole
The grit, detemination, work-rate, togetherness, leadership was all on show in AFC Totton's FA Cup victory away at truro, battling hard with 10-men for over 80 minutes of football!
Within the first five minutes, Declan Rose had whipped in a cross for Tony Lee at the back post, but sliding in he could only lift his shot over the bar.
Then on 14 minutes, Lee would open the scoring with his 11th goal in all competitions this season, displaying too much strength for Will Dean and calmly finishing past the 'keeper!
With the game in the balance, but Totton sitting quite comfortably, Joe Oastler was sent off for two bookable offences just one minute into first half injury time.
Half-time came and allowed everyone a breather, it was going to be a tough second half from here.
As soon as the second half started, you could tell what was going to happen for the rest of the game, Truro dominating the ball and The Stags were pinned back.
Ryan Gosney and every other player on the pitch stuck together and pulled off blocks and saves to keep it at 0-1, until...
The 60th minute brought about an equaliser for the home side after a corner was delivered to the front post and Lirak Hasani was the goalscorer.
Totton then defended resolutely, repelling every attack that Truro sent forward, and they kept coming, it was an onslaught, but The Stags were defending with all their might!
That got the boys throught to full-time, but extra-time came very quickly, meaning 30 more minutes of backs against the wall superb defending was to come...
And that's exactly what we got! Everyone was working their socks off out there, Scott Rendell was playing centre-half alongside Tyler Cordner, and the rest of the players were keeping composed and staying focused!
It's a testament to the squad and team that Totton have, an absolute joy to watch them communicate, defend and work so hard against all the adversities they faced.
When the game went to penalties you could hear a pin drop in the stadium...
Rendell, Jay Emmanuel-Thomas, Josh Dolling, Craig Tanner & Cordner all scored their pens whilst Oxlade-Chamberlain missed for Truro, sending Totton through to the first round proper of the FA Cup!
74% posession, 39 shots and still couldn't score past the 10-men of Totton, heroic stuff!
The first round proper now brings the test of Macclesfield FC of the National League North and a proper day out for The Stags faithful!
What. A. Team. Performance.
GO STAGS
