AFC Totton
Totton frustrated by 10-man Bishops Cleeve
Attendance – roughly 50
AFC Totton struggled at Kayte Lane despite Bishops Cleeve being reduced to 10 men in the first half, in an overly disappointing game from both sides.
The reverse fixture at the Testwood Stadium back in December was the Stags’ biggest haul of the season, netting seven against the Gloucestershire side, but were unable to replicate the performance of three months ago.
Mark Lilley nearly put Totton in the lead within the first 30 seconds of the whistle – his shot from distance punched over the bar by Cleeve ‘keeper, Mat Wieczorek, and the resulting corner was cleared away. This was to be the closest they would get until the final minute of the game.
Jack Alexander paid the price for a cold day and a bobbly pitch in the 20th minute. A sliding tackle to get the ball ended his day prematurely after jarring his knee – he was carried off the field and Jake Burgess came on for the remainder of the game.
Moments later and chaos ensued. Striker Dylan Knight and goalkeeper, Wieczorek, were locked in battle for the ball, Knight nudged him in the air, but the Cleeve man retrieved the ball before rolling backwards and kicking the forward in the neck.
Bishops Cleeve’s ‘keeper was consequently sent off and replaced by substitute, Sam Gilder, but the aftermath left both sides flirting with the referee’s book for the rest of the first half.
Once again, Totton had the majority of the ball in the second half, but no clear-cut opportunities to break the deadlock until added time.
In the 92nd minute, Cleeve’s Aaron Drake brought down Mark Lilley in the penalty area, and the Coventry referee gave the foul despite huge protests from the home side. Mark Gamble took the ball and his shot was saved by Gilder and parried out for a corner, but yet another brawl started, the third of the match.
Lilley was pushed to the ground by substitute, Shane Bumphrey, whilst the referee was attempting to diffuse another situation but no further action was taken.
This was Totton’s fifth draw and their first goalless game of the campaign so far, but remain locked in 11th place, with a trip to Marlow on Easter Saturday.
Totton starting line-up: Mowthorpe, Hunt**, Hibberd, Williams, Oliver, Wilson, Watts, Alexander*, Knight, Gamble, Lilley.
Substitutes: Burgess*, Silvestre, Brewer**, Hollick.
By Talia Jones
