AFC Totton
PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY #1
Charters Community Stadium, Winchester
RENDELL DOUBLE GETS STAGS' PRE-SEASON OFF TO A WINNING START
WINCHESTER CITY 1
Unidentified Player 75mins
AFC TOTTON 2
Scott Rendell 50mins (pen), 84mins
AFC TOTTON LAUNCHED their 2025 pre-season campaign with a short trip up the M3 to take on Winchester City in a friendly at the Charters Community Stadium (on Saturday 05 July 2025).
Having rung the changes to his playing squad during the summer, Manager Jimmy Ball opted to field two separate teams for the first and second halves of the match, with only goalkeeper Max Evans and newly-arrived left-back Christos Batzelis playing the majority of the 90 minutes, while four trialists were also handed opportunities to impress The Stags boss on The Citizens’ 3G playing surface.
But for all the new faces on show, it was left to the familiar figure of veteran centre-forward Scott Rendell to score the two goals that ensured Totton made a winning start to their preparations for the 2025/26 campaign. The Sunburnt Assassin scored from the penalty spot after Malachi Linton was tripped in the box. Then, after Winchester had equalised with a spectacular long-range shot, The Stags’ trusted No.9 met a Christie Ward cross with a thumping header to win the match for the visitors.
There was no printed team sheet for the match, and Winchester City did not post their own team’s line-up on their social media accounts, so their players will remain anonymous in this match report - which is a shame because the goal they scored was a pearler and deserves credit.
AFC TOTTON - First Half XI: 1. Max EVANS; 16. Luke BENNETT; 21. Christos BATZELIS; 5. Luke HALLETT; 2. Joe OASTLER; 4. Mike CARTER (Capt.); Zach EARLEY; Trialist A; Dylan ANDREWS; Trialist B; 10. Tony LEE. Second Half XI: 1. Max EVANS; 21. Christos BATZELIS; 3. Brandon HAUNSTRUP; 6. Sam MAGRI; 17. Declan ROSE; Trialist C; 8. Lee HODSON; 19. Christie WARD; Trialist D; 9. Scott RENDELL (Capt.); 11. Malachi LINTON.
Winchester kicked-off, wearing their familiar red-and-black striped shirts with red shorts and socks. Totton were clad in their brand new Macron-manufactured home kit, still in the traditional all-Royal blue with white trim. As per the rules of the Enterprise National League South, in which The Stags will be competing this season, the confirmed first team players had their names printed above their squad numbers on the back of their shirts.
Totton threatened first, when the reigning Under-23s Managers’ Player of the Year Dylan Andrews advanced into the left side of the Winchester box to keep Tony Lee’s headed flick-on in play. The midfielder chipped a high cross into the centre but a defender headed clear before the rangy Trialist B could connect from in front of goal. Then, a well-weighted pass by Zach Earley from around half-way put Tony Lee clean through behind the home defence, and the striker tucked his shot into the bottom-left corner of the net only for the offside flag to rule his effort out.
EARLEY BIRD CATCHES THE WINCH: AFC Totton Academy product Zach Earley directs play from midfield for The Stags.
Winchester’s left winger showed clever footwork and a neat turn of pace to escape Luke Bennett’s attention and fire in a low centre that Joe Oastler turned away, shortly before The Citizens had a goal of their own ruled out for offside when a firm header from a left-sided in-swinging free-kick was parried by Max Evans and fired into the net on the rebound.
Luke Hallett’s high diagonal from the right of the halfway line tempted Lee into making a high challenge that saw him collide with the home team’s goalkeeper, who fell awkwardly and needed attention before the match could continue. The referee had a short, sharp word with Lee but kept his cards in his pocket.
Christos Batzelis conceded a free-kick to the left of the Totton box. It was taken short, before a chipped cross was headed into the arms of the well-placed Evans. Then at the other end, a well-timed tackle by Winchester’s right-back prevented Andrews getting his shot away when he latched onto another cross-field pass from Hallett.
Midfield general Mike Carter dropped deep to assist his defence, then exchanged passes with Bennett before releasing Trialist B to attack the Winchester goal. A heavy touch took him slightly too far to the right, leaving him with a more acute shooting angle than it might have been, and the goalkeeper got down quickly to parry towards the far side. Batzelis collected the loose ball, worked his way towards the byline and hung up a cross that Trialist A headed over the bar, under pressure from a defender.
A swift Winchester attack down their left led to a dangerous cross that Batzelis did well to get in front of his man and head away at the far post; the follow-up shot struck another home player, triggering the offside flag. Then, Oastler disrupted the next home team attack, winning a free-kick for his trouble.
TWO-ON-ONE: Left-back Christos Batzelis leads a left-wing raid on the Winchester City defence.
A stray pass by Hallett required strong evasive action from Carter in the middle of the Totton half. Then, an enterprising run by Earley saw the young midfielder carry the fight deep into Citizen country and feed Bennett, pressed high up the right wing. Totton’s No.22 cut infield and went for goal from 20 yards with a shot that was always rising and soared over the bar.
A Winchester shot from their right was smothered in the Totton box, after some impressive team play during the build-up. Then, Batzelis wriggled free of two defenders on the left of the home penalty area and pulled back with a low pass to Trialist B, who shuffled onto his left foot and fired against the near post with a thunderous attempt. The ball bounced back-and-forth between players and the goalkeeper claimed it before Lee could pounce in the six-yard box.
Bennett conceded a free-kick on Winchester’s left wing. An in-swinging delivery curled over their big defender’s head and was bundled behind at the near post by Hallett for a corner. The referee spotted an infringement while the subsequent cross was en route into the Totton box, relieving The Stags of the burden of having to defend it. When Totton went forward again, Lee tried his luck with a long-range shot that was about a foot-and-a-half wide of the left-hand upright.
INCOMING: No.22 Luke Bennett swings in a free-kick from close to the right touchline.
Lee should have opened the scoring when Hallett brought the ball out of defence and set off on a forward foray that became more of an adventure than he intended, as space presented itself to encourage the centre-half to advance to the right of the penalty area and clip a cross towards the near post that the unmarked Lee met with a firm header but directed beyond the top-right corner. Then, a long, high kick from Evans was headed on by Trialist B, enabling the dynamic Andrews to take a touch and drive a powerful shot from 25 yards that struck the foot of the left-hand post and bounced wide.
Totton ended the half still on the front foot. Bennett was awarded a free-kick for a push near the right-wing touchline, half-way inside opposition territory. He delivered the ball into the box, picking out Hallett who leapt in characteristically impressive fashion but couldn’t generate enough power to force his header past the Winchester goalkeeper, immediately before the referee brought the first half to a close.
HALF-TIME: WINCHESTER CITY 0-0 AFC TOTTON
With an almost completely different XI, Totton got the second half underway. After a fairly uneventful five minutes, the now fit-again Declan Rose chipped the ball forward from the halfway line to pit Malachi Linton into a battle for possession with two Winchester defenders. Sheer perseverance and strength of will saw the former Yeovil Town forward battle his way into the box. One challenge delayed his progress before a second ended it unfairly, prompting the referee to point to the penalty spot. Scott RENDELL did the honours, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way while coolly slotting home from 12 yards.
Linton demonstrated his ability to be a constant thorn in the side of any defender. More dogged pressing created a half-chance for the rangy Christie Ward to shoot from the edge of the area, pulling a save at the foot of the near post that resulted in a Totton corner on their right, though they failed to capitalise upon it. Then, Batzelis linked up with former Northern Ireland international Lee Hodson to feed Ward on the right wing, whose cross was diverted away from Winchester’s six-yard box before it could reach the lurking Linton in the middle.
WING WIZARD WARD: Former Wycombe Wanderers wide man Christie Ward leads an AFC Totton attack down the right-hand side in the second half of the game at Winchester City.
Linton then turned provider, benefitting from a patient team build-up to receive the ball at the right-wing byline and square for Batzelis, whose shot was diverted wide by the goalkeeper’s left leg. The low corner delivery found Sam Magri in the box; heavily marked, he nevertheless managed to stab it towards goal but it lacked the power to trouble the ‘keeper.
The blonde-haired Trialist C almost doubled Totton’s advantage, when he crept forward down the left-hand side, beat his marker and fired an angled shot that had the goalkeeper beaten all-ends-up but crashed against the far post and rebounded out. Ward tried to redirect the rebound back on-target but a red-and-black figure blocked it. Then, Linton collected the ball inside the Winchester half and carried it forward down the middle with options left-and-right. He picked out Ward to his right, and the former Wycombe Wanderers man drove a strong effort over the bar from the edge of the box.
Rendell’s clever prod set Trialist C clear down the Totton left, but his low cross landed a foot behind Linton. Then, with Rendell pulling strings again, Linton writhed between two defenders in the D on the edge of Winchester’s area, working the limited space to unleash a right-footed shot that clipped the top of the crossbar, bringing appreciative applause from the Totton fans congregated behind the goal with their massive new blue-and-white flag to herald in the new season.
Having been under the cosh for a while, the home side got forward to create an opening that was fired over from within the left side of Totton’s box. Then, Batzelis got forward to link up with Rendell and, from close to the left-wing corner flag, pull back to bring Hodson into the game. Trialist D also got involved and a few short passes soon had Batzelis cutting in and driving a shot that was charged down by a defender; Trialist C’s snapshot was well-saved.
Winchester pulled themselves level around the 75-minute mark. It came out of nowhere - and, in all honesty, caught your Match Reporter unaware; evidently, after an aerial challenge the ball fell to The Citizen’s No.10 about 30 yards out, left of centre, and he unleashed a powerful pearler over Max Evans and into the far top-corner to make it one-all.
PLAYMAKING ON A PENSION: Skipper for the second-half Scott Rendell pulls the strings for Totton.
Reinvigorated by that wonder strike, the home side came forward again and Evans had to save well low to his right to parry one shot, before the follow-up was sent over the crossbar. But Totton were presented with a golden opportunity to retake the lead when a cross from the right ricocheted between two defenders in the middle of the Winchester box, with the ball squirming into the space on the left that both Trialist C and Linton were advancing into. Linton called for it but Trialist C got there first and shot over the top; Linton kept a lid on his frustration but his feeling was clear.
It mattered not, though, because six minutes from the end, The Stags earned reward for their second-half dominance. Trialist C progressed down the middle, with defenders dropping off cautiously. His shot was blocked but fell to Ward on the right of the six-yard box. Ward spotted his captain unmarked at the back post and picked him out with a lofted cross that invited Scott RENDELL to punch a header into the bottom-left corner.
Rendell dropped deep to provide the solution to some loose passing within the Totton defence, putting The Stags on the front foot again with a clipped pass towards the left flank. Linton wasn’t necessarily the favourite to retain possession but his willingness to compete took him away from his marker and, as they advanced together on the left corner of the box, he stole another half-yard — enough to aim a right-footed shot that soared across goal and narrowly wide of the far post.
Trialist C shot into the net from near the penalty spot, but the goal was ruled out - either for a push or for an offside in the preceding incident on the edge of the box. It then took an excellent last-ditch sliding tackle from Winchester’s No.3 to stop Ward shooting from the right of the six-yard box courtesy of Trialist C’s clever short pass.
CLOSE ONE: Striker Malachi Linton came close to capping an impressive unofficial AFC Totton debut with a goal at the Charters Community Stadium.
Ward combined with Rendell to get forward again and strike for goal, forcing a corner on the Totton left. It was taken short, and Hodson glided infield and arrowed an effort high towards the middle of the goal, pulling a sharp one-handed save from the ‘keeper, pushing the ball over the bar. The subsequent corner led to a goalmouth scramble, but nobody in Royal blue could get a decisive touch on the ball before it was cleared.
Winchester’s No.7 mustered the last shot in anger, with a long-range attempt that bounced into the arms of Max Evans, before the referee called time on the game.
Watch JIMMY BALL'S Post-Match Interview
Next Up: SHOLING vs AFC TOTTON
Pre-Season Friendly | The Mortgage Decisions Stadium, Portsmouth Road, Southampton SO19 9PW | Tuesday 08 July 2025 | Kick-Off 7:45pm
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Abby Reece Photography
