AFC Totton
Photo courtesy of PPA Photography
By Josh Cole
It’s the game that we have all been waiting for… The Stags face the trip up north to play Macclesfield FC in the FA Cup first round proper!
Last time out Totton beat Chelmsford City on home soil, 2-1! CLICK HERE to read the match report from that game.
MACCLESFIELD FC – THEIR SEASON SO FAR:
The Silkmen are currently sat in 10th place in the Enterprise National League North, on 21 points from 13 games.
Being promoted to the NLN last season as champions in their league with over 100 points, ambitions were high coming into this campaign. They started off with a win at home against Worksop Town on opening day at the leasing .com stadium.
After this result, they lost away at Oxford City, but that would be there only loss in August as they went on to win two games and draw the other two making it a solid first month.
Unfortunately, they didn’t carry the same sort of league form into September, as they lost at home to Merthyr (1-3) and drew to Kidderminster. They did pick up a win in the FA Cup second qualifying round, beating Atherton LR but went back to struggling in the league in September, losing to Chorley away, 3-2.
Despite the league form dropping off from their hot start, they picked up a 2-0 win tin the third qualifying round of the FA Cup, beating Nantwich, 2-0. Another loss in the league though came next, losing 0-1 against Marine AFC.
Their final win in the FA Cup before this game with Totton came against Stamford AFC, when they won 1-0. And their league form has turned back around, with The Silkmen in good form heading into this game against The Stags, winning their last three matches.
JOURNEY’S TO THE FIRST ROUND PROPER:
Macclesfield:
2QR: Macclesfield 3-0 Atherton LR (Step five of non-league)
Goalscorers: Sean Etaluku 56’, Ethan McLeod 63’ & D’Mani Mellor 90+2’
3QR: Macclesfield 2-0 Nantwich Town (Step three of non-league)
Goalscorers: Josh Kay 49’ & Danny Elliott 77’
4QR: Macclesfield 1-0 Stamford AFC (Step three of non-league)
Goalscorer: Paul Dawson 38’
AFC Totton:
2QR: AFC Totton 2-0 Torquay United (Step two of non-league)
Goalscorers: Scott Rendell 33’ & Luke Hallett 65’
3QR: AFC Totton 4-2 Frome Town (Step four of non-league)
Goalscorers: Tony Lee 11’ 66’ 85’ & Ash Clarke 15’
4QR: AFC Totton 1-1 Truro City (Highest step in non-league)
Goalscorer: Tyler Cordner 26’
4QR replay: Truro City 1-1 AFC Totton (Totton win 5-3 on pens)
Goalscorer: Tony Lee 14’
LAST FIVE: MACCLESFIELD (Most recent result first)
Vs South Shields | Home | ENLN | Won 1-0
Goalscorer: Danny Elliott 45’
Vs Leamington FC | Away | ENLN | Won 0-1
Goalscorer: Danny Elliott 35’
Vs Curzon Ashton | Home | ENLN | Won 3-2
Goalscorers: Justin Johnson 15’ 82’ & Danny Whitehead 20’
Vs Stamford AFC | Home | FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round | Won 1-0
Goalscorer: Paul Dawson 38’
Vs Marine AFC | Home | ENLN | Lost 0-1
LAST FIVE: AFC TOTTON
Vs Chelmsford City | Home | ENLS | Won 2-1
Goalscorers: Tony Lee 3’ & Christie Ward 20’
Vs Bath City | Away | ENLS | Lost 2-0
Vs Hemel Hempstead | Home | ENLS | Won 2-1
Goalscorers: Tyler Cordner 10’ & Ash Clarke 27’
Vs Truro City | Away | FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Replay | Drew 1-1 (AFC Totton won 5-3 on pens)
Goalscorer: Tony Lee 14’
Vs Truro City | Home | FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round | Drew 1-1
Goalscorer: Tyler Cordner 26’
COMPARING THE STATS (all comps)
|
Macclesfield FC |
AFC Totton |
|
|
16 |
Matches Played |
18 |
|
24 |
Goals scored |
30 |
|
16 |
Goals conceded |
21 |
|
+8 |
GD |
+9 |
|
6 |
Clean sheets |
4 |
MY OPPOSITION PLAYERS TO WATCH:
DEFENCE: Rollin Menayese
Rollin joined The Silkmen in January 2025 following his departure from National League side Aldershot Town.
He has plenty of EFL experience, having played over 100 games, most notably with Grimsby Town and Walsall.
The strong, powerful defender brings plenty of knowledge of the game and can play on either the left or right of a centre-back pairing.
MIDFIELD: Josh Kay
The Silkmen were delighted to secure the services of Josh Kay on loan for the duration of the 2025/26 season from Oldham Athletic.
Kay can operate in a number of positions across the midfield, the 28-year-old also has an eye for goal and boasts a promotion from the National League with Barrow during his career.
He has spent three separate spells at Fylde in total, becoming his first senior club as he made his first-team debut as an 18-year-old.
The promise he displayed earned him a move to Barnsley, then of the EFL Championship, where he spent two seasons.
His time at Oakwell included loans back to Fylde and to Tranmere, where he worked briefly with Latics manager Micky Mellon.
Kay spent a season in League Two with Chesterfield, whilst his five years at Barrow included a National League title win in 2020, contributing seven goals during the promotion campaign.
In total, he scored 23 times in 173 games at Holker Street.
ATTACK: Danny Elliott
The 29-year-old joined from Scunthorpe United in the summer of 2024.
Elliott made 40 appearances in all competitions for The Iron that season, racking up 13 goals in the process on their way to the play-offs.
The 6ft marksman signed for Hartlepool United in 2021, going on to achieve promotion to the Football League via the play-offs under current Stockport manager Dave Challinor.
The following season Danny signed for Boston United where he was named their Player of the Season in 2022.
In his debut season at the Leasing .com Stadium, Elliott racked up 41 goals in all competitions on his way to becoming Silkmen Player of the Year as well as securing the Northern Premier League Golden Boot.
Before the start of the 2025/26 campaign, he has played in 63 games for Macclesfield FC and scored 47 goals.
MATCH OFFICIALS:
Referee: Ollie Yates
Assistant: Lewis Raper
Assistant: Drew Dutton
Fourth Official: Stephen Wade
GO STAGS
