PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY #02
Tuesday 08 July 2025 | Mortgage Decisions Stadium, Southampton | Att: 555

LINTON SCORES HISTORIC FIRST GOAL ON THE BOATMEN’S NEW PITCH

SHOLING                                          0

AFC TOTTON                                  1
Malachi Linton 37mins

HAVING OVERCOME WINCHESTER CITY in their first pre-season outing of the summer, AFC Totton made it two wins from two with a single-goal victory over Sholing in the first game to be played on the newly-installed 3G playing surface at the Mortgage Decisions Stadium on Portsmouth Road.

New arrival Malachi Linton inserted his name into The Boatmen’s record books by notching the first goal to ever be scored on the new pitch, during an otherwise competitively-fought pre-season encounter that would have done both sides much good in terms of preparing for the long season ahead.

SHOLING — Starting XI: 1. Craig KING; 3. Joe RABBETTS; 4. Blaise RILEY-SNOW; 6. Harry TAYLOR; 8. Byron MASON (Capt.); 9. Dan MASON; 11. Bradley TARGETT; 14. Spencer SPURWAY; 16. Reece WYLIE; 19. Michael FOLIVI; 20. Beaux BOOTH. Substitutes: 2. Billie BUSARI; 7. Giovanni CRICHLOW; 10. Jake HESKETH; 12. Fabio LOPES; 13. Charlie SEARLE; 17. Dan JONES; Trialist A; Trialist B; Trialist C.

AFC TOTTON — Starting XI: 1. Max EVANS; 17. Declan ROSE; 21. Christos BATZELIS; 3. Brandon HAUNSTRUP; 4. Mike CARTER (Capt.); 5. Luke HALLETT; 8. Lee HODSON; 19. Christie WARD; 10. Tony LEE; 11. Malachi LINTON; 22. Luke BENNETT. Substitutes: 13. Ryan GOSNEY; 2. Joe OASTLER; 6. Sam MAGRI; Trialist A; Trialist B; 9. Scott RENDELL; Trialist C; 18. Dylan ANDREWS; 20. Zachariah EARLEY.

Totton began the game on the offensive when a long kick from Max Evans was headed on by Tony Lee. Spencer Spurway intercepted and tried to send the ball back to Craig King in the Sholing goal. But the pass was under-hit, giving Christie Ward the chance to nip in and steal the ball, forcing King to take evasive action by charging down the former Wycombe Wanderers winger’s shot at source.

THE FUTURE'S SO BRIGHT...: Totton prepare to defend a Sholing corner.

Brandon Haunstrup and Christos Batzelis combined with Ward to progress along the left wing, forcing Sholing to defend in numbers to eventually crowd them out and hack the ball clear. A free-kick on the right-hand side presented Beaux Booth with an opportunity to deliver service into the Totton box, but it was fractionally too high for Dan Mason who could only steer his stretching header wide of the far post. Then, Luke Hallett’s cross-field pass found Ward on the left, who brought the ball under control, cut inside and went for goal with his right foot from 20 yards, bringing a comfortable save from King.

Totton were keen to press high up the pitch. For the most part, Sholing were patient and comfortable enough in possession to resist the press, despite one moment when Luke Bennett stole the ball in midfield only to be undone by an unfortunate ricochet. Strong hold-up play by Dan Mason enabled him to bring Booth into the game to attack the right-wing byline and centre with a cross that Declan Rose headed behind for a corner, which Lee got up well to head clear.

Bennett’s cross from the Totton right was only cleared as far as Lee, who was tripped just outside the D on the edge of the Sholing box. Lee picked himself up to take the free-kick, his shot deflecting off the wall and going out for a corner, although Totton then conceded a free-kick for a high foot while Lee Hodson’s corner delivery was in-flight. Then, a short, sharp one-two saw Hodson play Ward into the left side of the penalty area; Ward tried to chip the ‘keeper from a narrow angle and landed the ball on the roof of the net.

PICKING A PATH: Christie Ward and Lee Hodson combine to find a way through the Sholing defence in the pre-season encounter at the Mortgage Decisions Stadium.

Totton maintained the pressure upon their hosts, forcing a succession of corners which Sholing defended well. Mike Carter, Batzelis, Hallett and Bennett linked up to slip Batzelis in at inside-left, but King reacted quickly to snatch up the loose ball. Batzelis was then pressed into defensive duty to prevent Brad Targett conducting an attack from the Sholing right, before Malachi Linton’s pass met Rose’s overlapping run for a right-wing cross that was headed out from the middle of The Boatmen’s box. Then, a high cross by Rose had King backtracking cautiously to complete a catch just under his crossbar as Lee closed in, looking for scraps.

Spurway made a diving header clearance from his own box to repel Bennett’s cross, after clever build-up play from Linton and Lee. Sholing tested the Totton defence, forcing Hodson to block one cross before Lee and Carter were both required to head away follow-up crosses. Linton’s intervention sparked a potential counter-attack but his attempted one-two with Ward was interrupted by a defensive interception.

Linton worked enough space on the right-hand side to pick out Lee, just beyond the far post. Lee got the ball down but was quickly smothered by two home defenders. Then, King was fast off his line to beat Linton to Carter’s incisive through-ball down the middle of the pitch.

HEADS UP: Declan Rose makes a clearing header to deny Sholing a chance on goal.

Totton took a deserved lead in the 37th minute. Ward won the ball near the halfway line, on the Totton left. He drove infield at the Sholing defence, taking advantage of a lucky bounce off one opponent to ride a challenge and slip a short pass to Batzelis, supporting from left-back. Batzelis advanced into the corner of box and played a short pass to Malachi LINTON, whose shot flashed past King at the near post.

Little else of note happened in the first half, despite Rose and Lee making good progress down the right flank before they ran out of pitch.

HALF-TIME: SHOLING 0-1 AFC TOTTON

Both sides made several changes during the break, and it was the hosts who created the first opening of the second half when Targett headed wide from a left-wing free-kick.

Fabio Lopes made an enterprising run down the Sholing left, but Sam Magri and one of Totton’s trialists worked together to nullify the threat. Then, Scott Rendell held the ball up at the edge of the Sholing box to enable more blue shirts to get around him before a low cross was booted clear from the six-yard box.

BENNO'S BACK: Luke Bennett models the printed reverse of the new AFC Totton home kit, featuring sponsorship from Langley Arb Ltd.

Jimmy Ball made more changes early in the second half, sending on Zach Earley and Dylan Andrews — two stars of last season’s Hampshire & Combination Development Football League U23 Premier Division-winning midfield in the AFC Totton Under-23s — together with another trialist, with Lee Hodson, Christos Batzelis and Christie Ward all making way.

Oastler conceded a free-kick midway inside own half of the pitch but Gosney made light work of catching the delivery from the Sholing right. Then, Hallett clipped a pass down the Totton right-hand side that brought King out of his goal. A Totton trialist beat the Sholing ‘keeper to the ball and aimed a chip towards the near top corner, but Dan Jones got back in time to head wide for a corner. Magri committed a foul while competing for the cross.

BACK OFF: Luke Hallett forces his opponent to rethink an attack on the Totton goal.

Earley got caught in possession in the centre-circle but demonstrated impressive determination in chasing back to undo his error, rushing a Sholing forward into blazing over the crossbar from the edge of the Totton box. Then, tight pressing on a Totton throw-in deep in The Stags’ half enabled Sholing to squeeze in a shot from a tight angle that required Gosney to parry. The home side regathered possession and crossed to the far post from the right-wing byline but the forward’s header was directed wide to the left.

The Hallett-to-trialist combination down the Totton right produced another corner, which Sholing defended well from an in-swinging cross. When the home side went forward again, a high ball played former Totton loanee Joe Rabbetts in behind Bennett to supply a cross from the left-wing byline, which Magri nodded behind for a corner; Gosney claimed the cross comfortably.

THINKING INSIDE THE BOX: Centre-forward Scott Rendell menaces the Sholing defence.

Sholing were beginning to see more the possession, but a tendency to overplay when they approached the Totton box saw a couple of potential attacking moves break down. Substitute Giovanni Crichlow worked his way infield from the right touchline to let fly from 20 yards out, but Gosney was able to watch it fly wide of his near post.

The Totton ‘keeper, playing at one of his former clubs, was almost embarrassed when he got the ball caught between his feet on the left corner of his penalty area. He managed to hack it away and then retreat back into his goal in time to catch Crichlow’s attempted lob. Then, Oastler made a decisive challenge to shut down Crichlow’s next opportunity before the winger could get his shot away from an incisive through-ball, shortly before the referee brought proceedings to an end.

By Ben Rochey-Adams

Images courtesy of KickOff Graphics