AFC Totton
Stags end season with well-deserved draw
Attendance – 115 By Talia Jones
AFC Totton’s 130th season has been jam-packed with brilliant highs and demoralising lows, but the Stags stopped the rot of six consecutive losses with an even 1-1 draw at Mangotsfield United for the final result of the season.
It could have been a very long afternoon, with the home side opening their goal account in the second minute of the game, Rickie Scott finding the bottom corner with a curling effort beating keeper, Steve Mowthorpe.
Totton’s first attack came 20 minutes later – Mike Gosney with another of his trademark free kicks, and Nick Watts’ ambitious shot went over the target, but it wouldn’t be long until they levelled the match.
Gosney weaved his way through the Mangotsfield defence leaving a perfectly-weighted pass for Dylan Knight, who calmly rolled the ball into the net, giving the travelling fans a reason to cheer.
The Stags were riding their luck at the end of the first half as Fields’ striker, Ben Bament rattled the post with his stinging shot, and the ball rolled across the face of goal and out.
The second half was a scrappier affair with tackles flying in at all corners of the pitch, but no-one could break the deadlock in the remaining 45 minutes.
As the full time whistle blew, the full squad thanked the away supporters for their unwavering support over the season, and finish 15th in the Southern League Division One South and West in Steve Hollick’s first year in charge.
Totton starting line-up: Mowthorpe, Hunt*, Diaper, Williams, Wilson, Alexander, Watts**, Burgess, Knight***, Sherborne, Gosney.
Substitutes: Hibberd*, Silvestre, New***, Brewer, Stuttard**
