AFC Totton
STAGS RAMPANT AGAINST BURNHAM
Burnham 1-5 AFC Totton
Attendance – 63 (approx. 20 Totton)
The Stags were back in Southern League Division 1 South & West action as they made the short trip up the M3 to face Burnham, who began the day 1 point and 2 places ahead of Totton.
The Stags got off to a bright start to the game, really hassling and harrying the home side and getting in amongst the play. The first opportunity fell Totton’s way after 5 minutes. Jack Alexander finding Nick Watts with a good ball but as Watts advanced at goal the angle became narrow and he only had the chance to prod the ball towards goal. The lively Watts then made another good run, this time to receive the ball from Jack Simpson who’d played a measured pass up from the back. Watts looked to shoot immediately on the edge of the area, but the ball took a deflection which wrong footed the keeper but went agonizingly wide of the post. Burnham’s first attempt at goal came after 15 minutes – a testament to how strongly Totton started the game. Harewood twisted and turned and managed to get away from Liam Hibberd, but his effort was wayward.
The Stags good start to the game eventually paid off as Jake Rawkins won the ball in midfield, with a good challenge, he then tried a through ball which enticed the keeper to leave his net unguarded, however the ball found it’s way to Neil Williams who was arriving in the ‘D’ and Williams’ cannoned a shot off the post, the rebound fell to Tony LEE and he still had to turn away from a retreating defender before slotting the ball home. Lee then had another effort go just wide from distance as The Stags really took the game to the hosts. Just after the half hour mark Totton were unlucky not to be 2 goals to the good after a fine team move culminated in Tony Lee squaring for Nathaniel Sherborne who lobbed the keeper but was unlucky to see his looped effort come back off the crossbar.
The second goal inevitably came as Burnham struggled to cope with Totton’s tempo and rhythm. A freekick was awarded to The Stags on the edge of the area. Up stepped Marc DIAPER, who struck the Freekick past the wall and past the keeper, who didn’t move an inch. The Stags third goal came in the 42nd minute as LEE added his second of the game, taking advantage of some sloppy defending by Burnham and capitalizing on their mistakes. The hosts pulled a goal back on the stroke of half time, HAREWOOD, perhaps Burnham’s brightest player, getting his reward. HT 1-3
The Stags began the second half, much as they did in the first, very bright, full of confidence and with the desire to go and get more goals. That was apparent in the 52nd minute as some good work by from Tony Lee down the right hand side set up a chance for Williams to shoot, his shot was blocked and Sherborne shot directly after the deflection came his way and was unlucky as the keeper managed to stick out a foot and the ball span away for a corner. The Stags kept coming and had another freekick in a dangerous position and Diaper was again unlucky to see his attempt crash back off the crossbar as Totton hit the woodwork again. Incredibly, Nick Watts also hit the frame of the goal on the hour mark. Watts showed some great skill to get away from his man and his shot hit the post, the 4th time Totton had hit the woodwork in the game!
But just 4 minutes later, Nathaniel SHERBORNE added Totton’s 4th, with a decent finish under pressure from the 2 centre backs. Burnham had a brief spell in the game where they tried to haul themselves back into it but The Stags stood strong and repelled the attacks well. Steve Mowthorpe did have to be aware to gather Ingram’s attempt but it was always comfortable for Totton’s No.1. With just 9 minutes left on the clock, hotshot Tony LEE completed his hat-trick, his second in as many games in Totton colours. He really carved out the opportunity for himself, receiving the ball wide of the penalty area, but skipping inside, beating his marker in the process and finishing off expertly. That marked the last real action of note and the game drifted off as Totton scored 5 goals away from home for the second time this season. FT 1-5
Stags Lineup: Mowthorpe, Hibberd (c), Diaper, Williams, Rolls*, Simpson, Watts, Alexander, Lee***, Sherborne**, Rawkins.
Subs: Roden*, Brewer***, Dempsey, Burgess, Edwards**
