Bishop Cleeve Match Reprt

by Sean Carter

Attendance: 201

Totton bash the Bishops

A Nathaniel Sherborne brace helped AFC Totton to a resounding 7-0 win at Testwood Park, as they saw off 8^th placed Bishops Cleeve with ease.

There were goals from Mark Lilley, Neil Williams and Jack Alexander as Steve Hollick’s side ran riot in the Southern League South & West fixture, dazzling the 201 in attendance with some brilliant football.

Totton dominated the early stages of the game, with Nick Watts crafting himself an early chance six minutes in, only to be denied by a valiant block from the away side’s Jordan Stoddart.

As both sides continued to feel each other out, it was the team in blue who seemed to create the majority of the chances. After a strong forward run from Michael Gosney, his delivery found Sherborne in the six yard box, who could only manage to fire his effort straight at Matt Wiecorek in the Bishop Cleeve goal.

As Totton continued to press on, enjoying the lion share of possession, Nick Watts went extremely close to putting Steve Hollick’s men in front as his long range strike spanked the outside of the post.

On the 34^th minute mark Bishop Cleeve were reduced to 10, with forward Jack Watts shown a straight red for a cynical challenge on his namesake Nick.

Five minutes later and Totton made their extra man advantage count as Sherborne, who was lively throughout, broke into the penalty area and bent his effort past Wiecorek into the bottom left hand corner to make it 1-0.

The second half started in a similar fashion to that of the first, with the home side looking the brighter of the two teams. It didn’t take long before Totton had doubled their lead with a goalmouth scramble ending with Williams poking the ball home to make it two after 53 minutes.

The one man disadvantage was proving too much for the away team as the Stags increased their lead even further, 10 minutes after they bagged their second. Gosney’s free kick from the edge of the box flying into the bottom right hand corner.

With the points all but wrapped up the 201 in attendance were being treated to some great football, as the home side began to play with real swagger and style.

Then, on the 70th minute mark, Jack Alexander popped up with perhaps the pick of the goals and his first for the club, with a stunning effort from about 30 yards that rocketed straight into the top right hand corner.

Lilley soon made it five on 78 minutes, poking the ball home with his first touch after coming on as a substitute, before a smart one on one finish from Sherborne on 83 and a late goal that goalkeeper Wiecoreck parried into in the Bishop’s Cleeve goal from a Mike Gosney corner sealed what proved to be a convincing win for the home side.

TEAMS

AFC Totton Bishops Cleeve

1 Steve Mowthorpe 1 Matt Wiecorek

2 Liam Hibberd 2 Ben Maguire

3 Marc Diaper 3 Leroy Odiero

4 Neil Williams (Off 68’) 4 Mike Sholly

5 James Roden 5 Jordan Stoddart

6 Patrick Wilson 6 Luke Hichman (Off 68’)

7 Nick Watts (Off 86’) 7 Ed Mason

8 Jack Alexander 8 Aaron Drake

9 Dylan Knight (Off 77’) 9 Kevin Slack

10 Nathaniel Sherborne 10 Ryan Young (Off 63’)