AFC Totton
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIV.1 SOUTH
Matchday #34
HIGHWORTH TOWN 0
AFC TOTTON 3
Callum Baughan 25mins; Rob Flooks 43mins; Freddie Read 53mins
A comprehensive three-goal victory at mid-table Highworth Town, near Swindon yesterday (Saturday), ensured that AFC Totton’s hopes of qualifying for the Southern League Div.1 South promotion play-offs remain firmly in their own hands, ahead of Easter Monday’s bank holiday derby with local rivals Sholing and their final regular season match at Slimbridge, next weekend.
Following the injury to Lewis Noice in the semi-final of the Southampton Senior Cup against Winchester City on Wednesday night, the Stags were able to call upon 16-year-old goalkeeper Josh Jeffries, despite his recent transfer to Southampton Football Club. The youngster was drafted in to make both his Southern League debut and his first start in senior men’s football, following his second-half appearance in the Senior Cup against Durley in January. With Harry Medway and Ben Jefford both suspended following their dismissals in last weekend’s home clash with Evesham United, Ade Olumuyiwa lined-up alongside Rob Flooks at centre-back, with Jordan Ragguette taking the left-back spot and Callum Baughan at right-back. Adam Tomasso took the captain’s armband and was partnered in midfield by Freddie Read and Ethan Taylor, with Shaquille Gwengwe and Jake Adams on the flanks either side of leading goalscorer, Hisham Kasimu.
On a warm Wiltshire afternoon at the Elms Recreation Ground, the Stags - wearing their changed kit of fluo yellow shirts, black shorts and yellow socks - kicked-off against the Worthians, who were decked out in their traditional home kit of all-red. Midfielder Leon Morrison used his strength to knock Ethan Taylor out of his stride on the edge of the Highworth penalty area, as the Stags’ creative midfielder was shaping to try an early shot, before clearing upfield for the hosts.
There was no sign of nerves from Josh Jeffries when the teenager was called into the game for the first time in the 6th minute. A square pass from the Highworth left wing, about 35 yards out, was taken under control by Luke Jones who, spotting there was space to attack behind the Totton defence, chipped the ball between Olumuyiwa and Flooks and then ran through to latch onto his own pass to strike a firm, left-footed effort towards the bottom-right corner. But the 6’3” goalkeeper was alive to the situation, thrusting out his left arm to make a full-length save that diverted the ball wide for a corner, which the Stags cleared at the second attempt.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE DEBUT: 16-year-old goalkeeper Josh Jeffries kept a clean sheet in his first start in senior men's football in place of the injured Lewis Noice.
On an undulating pitch, not dissimilar to the one at Frome Town’s Badgers Hill ground, Totton struggled to get the ball under control to play their football early-on, too often rushing their passes and, consequently, missing their teammates or over-hitting the ball out of bounds. An enterprising run down the flank by Callum Baughan got the Stags galloping in the right direction, his initial attack was repelled but Ade Olumuyiwa’s strong header directed the ball back to him, still in an onside position. His low cross found Ethan Taylor at the back of the penalty area and Taylor’s well-struck shot was deflected wide for a corner on the Totton left. Freddie Read’s corner was cleared, the ball going up the other end of the pitch and coming straight back again, before Shaquille Gwengwe was tripped about 25 yards out, to the left of the area. Read took it and opted to shoot, Highworth goalkeeper and captain Connor Johns making a low save to his left.
Two awkward bounces hindered the abilities of Read and Olumuyiwa to control the ball just inside their own half, resulting in the latter conceding a free-kick in the 14th minute. It was taken short but Jordan Ragguette reacted quickly to steal the ball and drive forward, before laying it forward for Hisham Kasimu. With his back to goal, the striker easily flicked the ball around his marker and strode into the penalty area to fire across goal, earning a corner via a deflection. Jake Adams sent in an in-swinging cross which Gwengwe attacked with menace at the front post, but he couldn’t get a significant connection on the ball and the hosts were able to clear their lines.
Rob Flooks got his body in the way of a low cross from the right-hand side to prevent Highworth capitalising on a counter-attack. Then, Taylor tried to drive in a shot from a central position that was bravely blocked by a defender. The rebound was collected by Freddie Read who managed to knock the ball forward and ride a challenge in one movement before curling a shot towards the bottom-right corner, but Johns was equal to it.
Mani Roper, the Highworth left-back, was lucky to avoid the Referee’s notebook for a foul on Adam Tomasso that was similarly late and aggressive to the one that earned Ban Jefford his marching orders last week. The home side defended the free-kick but Ragguette brought the ball forward again on the counter-attack. His low cross was turned away but the attacking left-back was brought down when Flooks redirected the ball back to him on the left flank. Read again took the free-kick, this time forcing Johns to parry within a crowded penalty area, but as Kasimu tried to poke the rebound home, the flag went up for offside.
A clash of heads between Shaquille Gwengwe and Highworth defender Joah Hill rightly brought an instant stop in play, so both players could receive treatment from their respective team physios. And shortly after play resumed in the 25th minute, AFC Totton took the lead their early dominance deserved. A sweeping move from left to right began when Kasimu took control on the left flank and laid the ball infield to Jake Adams, moving into the No.10 area with space to exploit on the right-hand side. As the young playmaker laid the ball wide, he was clattered by a late tackle but the Referee allowed play to continue with Gwengwe in possession on the Totton right. As Gwengwe edged forward, forcing Roper to backpedal into this own area, an intelligent underlapping sprint by Callum BAUGHAN enabled the full-back to latch onto a short forward pass to smash the ball high into the top-right corner from the 6-yard line, beyond a despairing Connor Johns.
BAUGHAN GOALSCORER: AFC Totton right-back Callum Baughan opened the scoring for the Stags at Highworth Town in the Southern League Div.1 South encounter.
Kasimu had a chance to extend Totton’s lead almost immediately when Adams played him in down the inside-left. While the striker seemed to have the beating of his marker, his own legs couldn’t keep up with him and he took a tumble in the penalty area without any suggestion of it being a foul. But, the Stags had the bit between their teeth. Kasimu found himself crowded out by red shirts on the edge of the Highworth box, so he slipped the ball to Ragguette coming in from the left to fire in a low shot that rebounded off a defender for a corner, which Highworth defended well.
Ashley Edenborough, who has scored plenty of goals against AFC Totton during the recent history between these two sides, was penalised for a late foul on Ade Olumuyiwa, after the Stags centre-back took a heavy touch from a Josh Jeffries pass. Then, Kasimu had a much more realistic shout for a penalty when he tried to connect with a flick from Adams, going down under the shoulder of Joah Hall but the Referee wasn’t interested.
Gwengwe and Baughan combined again on the Totton right-wing to earn a corner in the 34th minute. Ethan Taylor leapt high to head the corner from Adams, the ball deflecting off his marker for another corner, which Adams delivered to the back post, this time, and Highworth scraped it clear.
Jake Adams, having switched to the right wing, was beginning to enjoy himself. Olumuyiwa’s cross-field pass picked him out in space, where he brought the ball down and sent an in-swinging cross into the area. Rob Flooks managed to flick it towards goal but Johns did enough to keep it out. Then, Read picked up the ball in a central area and charged forward, hitting a low shot straight at the keeper, who then needed treatment for reasons not revealed.
Totton were hunting for a second goal to take with them into the break. Ragguette’s throw-in from the left touchline garnered a corner on the same side of the pitch. Read crossed to the near post where Flooks headed on, the ball looping beyond everyone coming in at the far stick to go out for a goal-kick.
Read’s ability to suddenly pop-up in midfield and take the ball away prevented Highworth from building attacks of their own, to keep Totton on the front foot. Energetic pressing by Taylor and Ragguette pinned the home side back into their own right-back area, until a loose pass presented the ball to Adams, who glided into the area and struck a low shot that hit a defender’s ankle. Although Read’s corner from the left-hand side was headed away, Totton quickly regained possession and shifted the ball along the half-way line to Callum Baughan in space on the right. Adams had been next to the goalkeeper from the corner but had now pulled out to the right touchline to offer the wide option. Baughan fed the ball to him and then set-off on another underlapping run, which served to distract the two covering defenders long enough for Adams to move infield and deliver to the edge of the 6-yard-box with his left foot, enabling Rob FLOOKS to bundle the ball home despite a valiant attempt by Ashley Edenborough to hook the ball clear. It was Flooks’s first goal for AFC Totton since his recent return to the club from Winchester City.
OFF-THE-MARK: Centre-back Rob Flooks notched his first goal since returning to AFC Totton from Winchester City in February.
Matthew Cheetham tried to muster a response for Highworth by leading an attack in the inside-left area, but Olumuyiwa and Baughan smothered the danger and only a strong tackle from Daniel Comer stopped Hisham Kasimu racing through on goal as the first-half drew to a close.
HALF-TIME
HIGHWORTH TOWN 0
AFC TOTTON 2
Jimmy Ball made a defensive change during the break, bringing on Pascal Kpohomouh in place of Ade Olumuyiwa. Edenborough tried to instigate attacking moves for his team early in the second half with a well-drilled crossfield ball to open up the right-hand side for the Worthians.
Totton held firm and were soon on the front foot, again, and in the 53rd minute they further extended their lead. From a throw-in on the right-hand side, mid-way inside the Highworth half, Callum Baughan found Adams with a player at his back, and went forward to receive the return pass and deliver a high cross to the far post. The ball flew beyond Johns and bounced in the 6-yard-box before the right-back Oliver Case hooked clear under pressure from Taylor. Ragguette carefully mapped the flight of the ball to half-way and headed down into midfield. Adams did enough in a challenge with Leon Morrison for the industrious Freddie Read to steal in and advance via a neat one-two with Kasimu. With Taylor, Gwengwe and Kasimu all in a position to receive a pass, Read clipped the ball towards the edge of the area where it struck the right hand of Daniel Comer. “Handball” shouts went out but the ball fell for Kasimu to try a left-footed shot that, while underhit, bounced awkwardly in front of Johns. The keeper could only parry meekly to his left, allowing Freddie READ to sprint onto the rebound and gobble up the opportunity for Totton’s third goal before Joah Hall could get across to make the tackle.
GOAL-READY FREDDIE: Diminutive Stags midfielder put in another all-action display and scored a deserved goal to make it 3-0 shortly into the second-half.
With Monday’s match against Sholing no doubt in mind, the remaining Totton substitutes were immediately told to warm-up. Meanwhile, two strong defensive headers by Rob Flooks kept things tidy at the back and, when Josh Jeffries was required to claim high bouncing balls at the edge of his penalty area, he was commanding and assured in everything he did.
Highworth kept trying to create something. Baughan’s defensive tenacity closed the door on a brief shooting opportunity for Edenborough where he might have been able to lob Jeffries. Then, Taylor got back to help Kpohomouh nullify the threat of Morrison near the right corner flag, clearing cross-field to set-up another Totton attack.
Around the hour mark, Hisham Kasimu - who, as a devout Muslim, is currently observing Ramadan - was withdrawn to be replaced by the experienced Brett Williams. Then, Jeffries did well to make a low save from a Highworth free-kick, with bodies around him.
Baughan managed to get to the right-wing byline and pull the ball back for Gwengwe to take aim from the edge of the area, but Hall thrust his head in the way. Then, Morrison had to take evasive action to divert Ragguette’s drilled left-wing cross over his own crossbar, as Totton continued to create chances. Johns did well to punch the corner clear with yellow shirts converging upon him from all sides.
Gwengwe’s work rate was a constant thorn in the side of the Worthians, the young striker getting across to press defenders and hurry them into mistakes. A quick move started by Jeffries had Ragguette and Adams combining on the left, until Adams played a one-two with Brett Williams to dart into the inside-left and fire in a low cross that Highworth managed to stab away. Then, the 19-year-old Jordan Ragguette dribbled down the left, checked infield and hit one with his right foot, ballooning the ball well over the crossbar.
STAND-IN SKIPPER: Combative midfielder Adam Tomasso took the captain's armband in the absence of the suspended duo of Harry Medway and Ben Jefford.
Jimmy Ball then sent on Nathan Hurst to replace Adam Tomasso in midfield, Tomasso handing the captain’s armband over to Rob Flooks before he exited the field of play.
The visitors were a whisker away from going 4-0 up when an in-swinging corner from Jake Adams on the Totton right was met with a thunderous header by Brett Williams from just outside the 6-yard box. Connor Johns was beaten all ends up but his centre-back Daniel Comer headed off the line and over the bar to deny the Stags striker a certain goal. And Williams came close again, a few minutes later, receiving a pass from the right to strike a half-volley on the turn that was well-blocked inside the Highworth area, at the expense of another corner. This time, the delivery went to the back post where Williams headed across goal looking for a teammate, but the home side headed clear.
In the 76th minute, Connor Johns was booked for handling the ball outside his box when he came out to beat Gwengwe to the ball. The keeper redeemed himself with a fine two-fisted save to turn Jake Adams’s free-kick away at his left-hand post.
Highworth’s lack of pace up top meant that even when they could connect with long balls to the front, Totton defenders were able to recover the ground before their opponents could do anything to hurt them. Kpohomouh took the ball away from Daniel Drewett when he threatened to run through, to maintain Totton’s stranglehold on the game.
Edenborough was lucky not to get booked when he cynically took a swipe at Jake Adams, as the teenager picked up a headed clearance from Flooks to run at Highworth’s defence. Adams stayed on his feet and play continued until Gwengwe ran offside and the Referee called Edenborough over for a lecture, but opted to keep his cards in his pockets.
INFLUENTIAL: Ethan Taylor pulled the strings from the attacking midfield position.
With a little over 10 minutes to go, Freddie Read and Jake Adams produced a few party tricks to bamboozle the right side of Highworth’s tiring defence. Read played the ball infield from the left, Adams did a flashy stepover-cum-backheel manoeuvre which Read ran onto and cut back for Adams to attempt a curling left-footed effort from the edge of the area that had Johns worried before it flashed over his crossbar at the top-right corner.
Read was involved again moments later, setting up Ragguette to clip the ball over the Highworth defence with Gwengwe ghosting in behind them, the forward only glancing his header straight into the arms of Connor Johns. Then, Gwengwe was played in through the middle by Williams but shanked his shot wide of the right-hand post with the goal at his mercy.
As the final minute of the match ticked over into stoppage time, Ethan Taylor was next to take aim at the home side’s goal, working the space from right of centre, 25 yards out, to hit a low left-foot curler that narrowly missed the far post and crashed into the advertising hoardings behind the goal-line. The Referee only allowed one extra minute before calling time on a good day’s work for Jimmy Ball’s men.
Elsewhere, Plymouth Parkway edged closer to securing the title and the only automatic promotion spot with a comfortable 4-0 win over relegation-threatened Mangotsfield United, though Frome Town’s 2-0 win at Slimbridge keeps them in the hunt.
Third-placed Cirencester Town also recorded a 2-0 away win, at Bideford, with goals either side of half-time from Levi Irving and Aidan Bennett. Bristol Manor Farm’s chances of taking a promotion play-off spot are hampered by the fact they will sit out the Easter Monday round of matches, with only one game left to play after their 3-0 home win over Larkhall Athletic. The Larks haven’t won since their late, late victory at the Snows Stadium, six weeks ago - a run that consists of seven defeats and four draws in their last 11 matches.
An Olly Balmer hat-trick helped Winchester City maintain their two-point advantage over the Stags, beating Evesham United 5-1 in Worcestershire. With Totton taking all three points at Highworth, Sholing made it a clean sweep of wins for the top seven teams in the Southern League Div.1 South with their 2-1 victory at home to Willand Rovers - but they left it late; Fatah Makhloufi scored the winner two minutes into stoppage time after Daniel Mason cancelled out Joe Wylie’s 16th-minute opener for the Rovers.
Totton’s game in-hand over Bristol Manor Farm, and the fact the Farmy Army complete their campaign with the potential winner-takes-all visit of Winchester next weekend, means that maximum points for the Stags from both Monday’s showdown with Sholing and the trip to Slimbridge next Saturday will definitely put them in the play-offs - irrespective of the result between the two cathedral cities.
The latest Southern League Div.1 South table
Match Report by Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
