AFC Totton AFC Totton Pitching In - Partners with Southern Football League

SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIV.1 SOUTH 2022/23
MATCHDAY 29 - Saturday 25 March 2023


AFC TOTTON                                 1
Scott Rendell 24mins

LARKHALL ATHLETIC              1
Bradley Norris 51mins (pen)


AFC TOTTON PICKED UP THEIR SEVENTH red card of the season at home to Larkhall Athletic in the Southern League Div.1 South encounter at the Snows Stadium yesterday (Saturday), when central defender Charlie Kennedy was dismissed for the second time in his Stags career in the process of conceding a penalty that allowed veteran striker and captain Brad Norris to level for The Larks and, ultimately, hold the home side to a draw.

With Tuesday night’s planned trip to Melksham Town postponed due to heavy rainfall, The Stags came into this match with the benefit of a full week’s rest, enabling Manager Jimmy Ball to name an unchanged starting XI from that which won at Slimbridge AFC last weekend. New signing Mitchell Speechley-Price was handed the No.15 shirt, with Jordan Ragguette forfeiting his place on the substitutes’ bench.

Larkhall had their own issues with the weather in midweek. They were 1-0 up at home to fourth-placed Wimborne Town at half-time when a torrential downpour during the break rendered the Plain Ham pitch unplayable for the second half and the match had to be abandoned, to be replayed at a later date.


AFC-Totton-badge.pngAFC TOTTON
Starting Line-Up

1.  Lewis NOICE
2.  Benny READ
3.  Jack MASTERTON
4.  Mike CARTER (Capt.)
5.  Charlie KENNEDY
6.  Luke HALLETT
7.  Charlie DAVIS
8.  Josh CARMICHAEL
9.  Scott RENDELL
10.  Ethan TAYLOR
11.  Tommy WRIGHT
Substitutes
14.  Adam TOMASSO
15.  Mitchell SPEECHLEY-PRICE
16.  Matty BURROWS
17.  Marcus DAY
18.  Freddie READ


Walkout-2_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
LET'S GO TO WORK, KID: Captain Mike Carter and a young Stags Mascot lead AFC Totton out onto the Snows Stadium pitch for yesterday's game against Larkhall Athletic.

Their home kit is blue and their usual away kit is white, so Larkhall Athletic were decked out in their third kit of red shirts, black shorts and red socks as they kicked-off on a cold but dry afternoon. With the top two tiers of the English Pyramid on hiatus due to the current international break, this weekend was designated National Non-League Day, leading to a bumper attendance at the Snows Stadium for an afternoon of competitive Step 4 football.

The opening ten minutes of the match were fairly attritional, with the best chance falling to Totton right-back Benny Read. Ethan Taylor had worked his way into an advanced position and was brought down just outside the penalty area, but the Referee allowed play to continue when Read pounced on it and drove a low shot that Larkhall goalkeeper Josey Casa-Grande did well to turn away.

Tommy Wright got in at the right-wing byline, but his cross was dealt with by the visitors’ defence. Then, both Mike Carter and Ethan Taylor were spoken to by the Referee in quick succession for shoving opponents to the ground, as Larkhall made progress towards the Totton goal one free-kick at a time. Taylor’s indiscretion resulted in Max Williams having the chance to deliver into The Stags’ area from about five yards away from the right corner of the box. Jack Masterton made an initial defensive header, but Scott Rendell was still required to make a block at the far post, taking a painful blow from the ball to his lower abdomen that left him winded, laying across the edge of the six-yard box, while Wright busily scurried away on the counter-attack and earned a free-kick on Totton’s right flank.

Rendell got back to his feet and gingerly took up his position for a Charlie Davis delivery, which was sent in low and had midfielder Jack Camm trying to slide in and swipe the ball away with his left foot on the edge of his own penalty area. He missed it, though, and the ball continued across the face of goal with no Totton player close enough to take advantage.

But a similar move by Camm would prove costly for The Larks, shortly after. Rendell received the ball with his back to goal, midway inside the Larkhall half, and pushed it wide to Davis, who was making a run down the right flank. In response to his low cross, Camm again attempted his sliding swipe kick and, as before, missed the ball completely. It came to Ethan Taylor on the front edge of the six-yard box, who prodded it back a few yards for Scott RENDELL to squeeze a low shot between two defenders and into the bottom-left corner of Casa-Grande’s goal with a right-footed drive. It was The Sunburnt Assassin’s 24th goal of the season in all competitions, coming in the 24th minute of the match.

Scott Rendell-1_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
TWO DOZEN AND COUNTING: Scott Rendell's 24th-minute goal was his 24th goal in all competitions in the 2022/23 season.

Larkhall attacked down their right wing, prompting Luke Hallett to head firmly away. As the ball popped around in midfield for a short while, with neither side able to get it under control, Camm found himself on the wrong end of a robust but mistimed Charlie Davis challenge that earned the Stags midfielder a deserved yellow card. The Larks couldn’t make that free-kick pay, but they won another on their left flank, midway inside the Totton half. There was plenty of movement between the red shirts as Harrison Lea prepared to deliver the ball into the box and while the ball was in-flight. Brad Norris connected with a header from the edge of the area, sending the ball looping high into the air where Lewis Noice was able to watch it safely into his gloves.

Taylor tried to wriggle his way past defenders to get to the left-wing byline, before Samuel Boulton came across to put the ball out for a throw-in. Jack Masterton and Josh Carmichael worked enough room for Masterton to whip a cross towards the edge of the six-yard box, but Larkhall defended it effectively. Carmichael then got stuck in, tussling for possession in the centre-circle and winning a free-kick, from which Davis lofted the ball forward to the right-hand side of the area where Rendell got above his marker and headed down. Camm nudged the ball out to the edge of the area where Taylor intercepted, taking a touch to set him himself for a half volley, which he really got hold of and would have been on-target but for a brave and important block by centre-back Aaron Parsons, who began recently joined Larkhall from Melksham Town.

Mike Carter hooked the ball forward, over the Larkhall defence. All eyes were on Scott Rendell but realising that he was offside, the centre-forward stopped running and allowed the ball to run on for Masterton to close in from the left flank. Casa-Grande sniffed the danger and responded by launching the ball onto the roof of the Wessex Heartbeat Stand.

Totton attacked from their right wing in the 34th minute. A skilful trick by Ethan Taylor saw the winger flick the ball over the head of left-back Thomas Bradley, before sharply turning back the way he had come to leave the defender bamboozled. Taylor laid the ball back five yards, teeing up Wright to cross to the far post where the unmarked Davis came rushing in with only the goalkeeper to beat. He got his head to the ball but could only direct it wide of the left-hand upright, much to the visitors’ relief.

Taylor was controversially booked shortly after, as Rendell played him into the inside-left channel. As he chased the ball towards the byline, Taylor was sent to ground by the left shoulder of Parsons, who made no attempt to play the ball. While many Totton fans around the ground were appealing for a penalty, the Referee interpreted Taylor’s fall as simulation and awarded a free-kick the other way while showing The Stags’ No.10 a yellow card - his third in as many league games. Then, within a minute, Charlie Kennedy appeared to take a whack to the face as he competed for an aerial ball right in front of the Totton dug-out, to which the Referee’s response was to call the two captains over for a chat, with no player receiving punishment for fouling the central defender.

Paso Doble_Ethan Taylor_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
STRICTLY PASO DOBLE: Larkhall's Wayne Nderemani and Totton's Ethan Taylor trip the light fantastic during the Southern League Div.1 South match at the Snows Stadium.

When play resumed, Davis looped the ball into the Larkhall area for Rendell, but the bouncing ball wouldn’t sit down for him to take aim at goal, allowing Parsons to force it out of play at the left-wing touchline. Masterton took the throw and got the ball back to feet, crossing low to the centre, where it was deflected to the edge of the box for Wayne Nderemani to control and try to run it out of defence. The determined Benny Read had other ideas, sliding in to hook his foot around the ball and drag it back to his own possession, before presenting Carmichael with a chance to drive a long-range shot that drifted wide to the right.

The lively Tommy Wright was cleverly finding pockets of space where the Larkhall defenders were failing to track him, and his fiercely-driven low cross from the right-wing touchline had Taylor sliding in near the penalty spot, getting agonisingly close to directing the ball at goal despite being tightly marked. Larkhall were struggling to get their foot on the ball and Casa-Grande again had to rush out from his area to hack the ball away as Wright closed in, this time miss-kicking the ball into the main stand to earn himself sarcastic cheers from the partisan home crowd.

Totton’s players were incensed when Nderemani went down inside their penalty area for a foul that never was, prompting questions as the Referee’s consistency with regards to simulation, given his earlier caution of Taylor. But Larkhall offered little threat in the final third, preferring to sit back and invite the home side to try to play their way through, which Totton were more than keen to do. The busy Benny Read got forward down the right flank and played a short pass to Ethan Taylor at the corner of the penalty area. He side-stepped the closest defender and set himself for a left-footed drive that Casa-Grande got down sharply to his left to parry. Davis appeared on the edge of the six-yard box to force the ball across goal where Rendell bundled his way past a defender to nudge the ball over the line and into the net. But Totton’s celebrations were immediately cut short by the sight of the Assistant Referee’s flag, raised for offside against Scott Rendell.

Two minutes before the break, Larkhall right-back Jack Goodall was booked for going through the back of Taylor as the two competed for a high ball at the halfway line, while the visitors complained that Hallett had bundled one of their players to the ground in a similar challenge near the centre-circle just moments prior. Davis sent the free-kick high to the far side and Rendell once again won the ball, knocking it down for Kennedy, who had has back to goal on the right edge of the six-yard box. He returned the ball to Rendell and, coming back out to the edge of the area, received it back again to try a low shot that was blocked at close range and then cleared. Carter retrieved the ball in midfield and released Taylor towards the left-wing corner, where he was fouled before he could put any service into the box. Davis took the free-kick, crossing to the near post where Carmichael came in at pace, slamming into Boulton in the process to give Larkhall a free-kick of their own. Carmichael injured himself in the challenge and had to limp off for the few remaining moments of the half. The Referee blew the whistle shortly after Casa-Grande launched the ball upfield from his placed kick, sending Totton in with a deserved half-time lead.


HALF-TIME
AFC TOTTON                                             1
LARKHALL ATHLETIC                          0


Larkhall made a change at the break, replacing forward Abdulrasaq Alamu-Tajudeen with Dawid Regula. Totton began the second half on the front foot, with Tommy Wright dropping deep to receive the ball and receiving applause from the crowd for cleverly spreading the play to Jack Masterton in space on the left-hand side, when several more obvious passing options surrounded him. The move enabled Masterton to advance down the left flank and cross high to the far side. Casa-Grande came out and jumped to make the catch, but he collided with one of his defenders, causing the ball to drop between him, Rendell and Davis, but with the two Totton players on their heels, there was time for a red shirt to knock the ball away. Carmichael tried to drive it back into the box but his effort was blocked. The ball came out and Totton regained possession again, Carter striding forward and taking aim with a right-footed shot, which flew about two yards wide of the left-hand post.

Charlie Kennedy-1_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
WHAT PUSH, REF?: Charlie Kennedy is kept at arm's length as Larkhall attack the Totton box. The centre-back was later dismissed for a foul that led to a Larks penalty.

A major turning point came six minutes into the second half as a rare foray forward from Larkhall saw Brad Norris get goal-side of Totton’s centre-backs. Charlie Kennedy made a challenge, which sent Norris down in stages. The Referee pointed to the penalty spot and produced a red card for Kennedy, who was also dismissed in the goalless draw with Hamworthy United in November. Larkhall’s experienced centre-forward and captain Bradley NORRIS picked himself to take the spot-kick himself, driving the ball high into the middle the goal as Lewis Noice dived to his left.

Before the game could be restarted, Jimmy Ball sent on Adam Tomasso in place of Josh Carmichael. Larkhall also made a change, sending on Harry Simons in place of Harrison Lea. With their new-found numerical advantage, Larkhall had their tails up and it soon became apparent that the newcomer Simons had entered the fray with instructions to conduct their movement of the ball across the midfield. Norris was played in down the right side of the Totton area, from where he tried to pick out Dawid Regula with a low cross that Hallett managed to clear by sliding in front of the forward and hooking out with his left foot.

Larkhall began pushing the ball around a lot more than they had in the first half, looking to exploit the full width of the pitch. Scott Rendell dropped deeper to help make up the numbers in midfield. The diminutive figure of Wayne Nderemani was sent to ground by Benny Read’s challenge, resulting in a Larkhall free-kick from about 22 yards, in a fairly central position. Norris opted for a low shot that cannoned back off the Totton defensive wall, the ball rebounding to Wright, who was able to burrow his way through two players before slipping it back to Tomasso to play out from the back.

Totton began to settle again, and Masterton and Taylor combined down the left wing on 58 minutes to create space for Masterton to hit a low cross that had to be diverted wide for a corner before Rendell could reach it at the edge of the six-yard box. Davis sent in a high, in-swinging ball that Taylor flicked over the bar with his head.

Josh Carmichael-1_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
LOOK, UP IN THE SKY: Josh Carmichael (right, in blue) prepares to compete for a high ball into The Lark's penalty area from an AFC Totton corner.

After an initially promising left-wing raid by Larkhall was halted due to a hand-ball call against Nderemani, Jimmy Ball chose to bring Tommy Wright off to be replaced by Matty Burrows, who got straight into the game by rushing a defender into clearing the ball over the main stand to prevent him running through on goal from the right. A long throw from Hallett was then knocked behind for a corner on the Totton right, from which Taylor found Rendell’s head at the far post, but the centre-forward could only nod wide - he would likely have been penalised for pushing, though, even if he had hit the target.

Gradually, Totton reasserted themselves in terms of possession and territory, forcing the eleven men of Larkhall back into their shell. Read rushed Bradley into a mistake to win a throw-in high up the pitch. From the throw, Totton quickly switched the play to the left, from where the ball was returned by Masterton’s high ball. It went over Rendell and Burrows ran onto it at the byline, sending in a low cross that just eluded Taylor’s sliding attempt to connect. As it continued across the six-yard box, Davis was the wrong side of the defender to convert the chance, and The Larks managed to clear their lines.

Thomas Bradley sat down on the turf to indicate that he wanted treatment, but there was no movement from the Larkhall Athletic physio, much to the ire of the home crowd. When play resumed, an overhit pass-back by Tomasso ran away from Lewis Noice at the expense of a corner on the Larkhall left. Bradley was then substituted in favour of Thomas Warren, and when the corner came into the Totton box, Rendell made two important defensive interventions - one with his head, the second with his chest to control the ball when it came back into the box, before clearing upfield.

Burrows gave chase to an up-and-under and then went down under a challenge from the already-booked Jack Goodall. The teenaged winger was left prone on the turf and had to be attended to by Totton’s physio, Andrew Hanley, but the Referee neglected to award a free-kick or take any further action against the Larkhall No.2.

There was another incident of Nderemani going down softly inside the Totton area and claiming a penalty, which had the home players again reminding the Referee that he had seen fit to booked Ethan Taylor for less in the first half. Then, a high ball into the box had Tomasso stretching and heading upward rather than outward. A brief scramble ensued but Noice was able to grab the ball when it popped out goal-side of the ruck.

Jack Masterton-1_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
GET BACK, JACK: AFC Totton left-back Jack Masterton tussles with a Larkhall Athletic player in front of Mally's Corner.

Burrows again took on the hapless Goodall, before going to ground having already beaten him, but the Referee didn’t see anything untoward and allowed play to continue. Then, when Thomas Warren threatened to break into the Totton area from the Larkhall left, Benny Read’s tenacity saw him emerge with the ball at his feet and advance into midfield, where he was pushed to win a free-kick.

Larkhall attacked down their right and worked the ball infield to Nderemani, who weaved his way between two Totton players on the edge of the area and unleashed a left-foot shot that went wide of the near post. Within a few seconds, Burrows was put through one-on-one on the Larkhall goal by Taylors flick, only to be denied by an offside flag.

A misplaced pass back towards the centre-circle by Burrows put Carter under unnecessary pressure, for which the teenager immediately atoned by chasing back to regain the ball and direct it out to Taylor on the left, who couldn’t get hold of it before it went out of play. But The Stags soon won themselves a corner on the left wing. Davis crossed to the far post but there were enough red shirts in position to smother Hallett’s attempt to force it towards goal.

Captain Carter could be heard instructing his players to relax in possession, rather than trying to force the issue. A shove by Goodall, who was struggling to keep up with the lively Burrows, gave Davis another chance to deliver high into the Larkhall Athletic penalty area. Casa-Grande had to deal with a lot of movement from the blue shirts in front of him but did well to concentrate on the flight of the ball and take it cleanly at the edge of his six-yard box.

When Larkhall managed to use their numerical advantage to create space on their left, Burrows came sprinting across to close Warren down before he could find a teammate with his pass, kicking the ball out of play, instead. Then, while trying to help his defence, Carter inadvertently played Larkhall into a dangerous position at the right-wing byline, but Tomasso was able to protect the Totton goal from the near post area to save his skipper’s blushes.

With five minutes to go, Mitchell Speechley-Price was sent on in place of Ethan Taylor to make his AFC Totton debut. He and Burrows were soon tussling for possession of a bouncing ball at the edge of the Larkhall area. The visiting defence held firm but The Larks’ attempt to fly forward lost momentum when Jack Camm trod on the ball and fell over in midfield. But they soon managed to regain the ball, launching it into the Totton box. Hallett headed out from within the six-yard box, but Norris got above Tomasso to force the ball down to Nderemani; the forward was quickly dispossessed by Hallett’s last-ditch tackle.

Mitchell Speechley-Price-1_AFC Totton vs Larkhall Athletic_SLD1S-29_Sat25Mar2023.jpg
DEBUTANT'S BALL: New AFC Totton signing Mitchell Speechley-Price wrestles with a Larkhall Athletic defender in pursuit of a bouncing ball at the Snows Stadium.

Larkhall came forward, again, and Carter had to make a brave block on the edge of the area by throwing his body into the path of a well-struck shot, before Hallett hooked out a follow-up cross. Carter then played a long ball to give Speechley-Price the chance to stretch his legs with two defenders patrolling him, the new man eventually being called up for a push.

Read received a backward pass from Rendell on the Totton right and curled a high cross to the far side. Burrows, reading the flight of the ball, ducked away from his marker to collect the ball on the left side of the area, before playing it back in towards the near post for Rendell to attempt a diving header. He couldn’t get enough power behind it to trouble Casa-Grande. Then, Rendell and Speechley-Price both headed the ball on through the middle of the pitch to try and release Burrows. Goodall reacted in the nick of time by flicking the ball away with his right foot.

Mitchell Speechley-Price was involved, again, receiving the ball down the left from Charlie Davis, before slipping it infield to Burrows who went down between two defenders, appealing for a penalty. The Referee turned a blind eye and play continued. Then, Totton won a free-kick a few yards away from the left corner of the penalty area when the front three combined again before Burrows was shoved, three minutes into stoppage time. Davis crossed to the far side where Hallett headed back across goal. Speechley-Price latched onto it, but with his back to goal and a red wall behind him, he nudged it wide again to Davis whose second delivery was too long.

Read ran forward with the ball down the right-hand side, before checking back to allow Carter to cross. He under-hit his delivery, though, making it easy for the nearest defender to head the ball out. No doubt frustrated with himself, Carter snapped back somewhat overzealously to prevent Nderemani breaking away with the ball, to pick up his customary yellow card. Totton’s last attempt to get forward was a long kick from goalkeeper Lewis Noice, aimed at Speechley-Price, but the ball was headed away, shortly before the Referee called time on a 1-1 draw.

Before the Totton players had left the pitch, news came from the other side of the Itchen Bridge that Bideford - who conceded eight goals at the Snows Stadium a fortnight ago - had scored a late penalty at Sholing, whose goalkeeper Ryan Gosney was sent off in the same incident, ensuring that match also ended 1-1, so things remained “as you were” at the top of the Southern League Div.1 South table. A win by any margin for Totton against Paulton Rovers on Tuesday night will take The Stags top for the first time under Jimmy Ball’s management.


Jimmy Ball_AFC Totton Manager_04Mar2023.jpg

After the match, AFC Totton Manager Jimmy Ball (pictured) said:

"Good first half, second half scrappy, obviously playing with 10 men for the majority of it. Had we put our chances away in the first half, I don't think the sending-off happens - it doesn't need to happen. We have to look at ourselves because we failed to put our chances away, today.

"It was frustrating, we felt the Referee was inconsistent in some of his decision-making. But I back my players to dig in and scrap when they have to and they did that again today, but the game really should have been out of sight before the red card. The players are already chomping at the bit for Tuesday night, now.

"I would have liked to give Mitchell Speechley-Price more minutes but he's a good kid who's going to give us useful options in these remaining games, going forward, and I'm glad to have him onboard."


NEXT UP: AFC TOTTON vs PAULTON ROVERS
Southern League Div.1 South | Matchday #30
Snows Stadium | Salisbury Road | Southampton SO40 2RW

Latest Southern League Div.1 South league table

View AFC Totton’s fixture list for the 2022/23 season


By Ben Rochey-Adams

Images courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography

Get your logo here