AFC Totton
By Cameron Meech
AFC Totton exited this season’s Emirates FA Cup at the second round qualifying stage following a frustrating 2-0 defeat to Gloucester City at the Snows Stadium.
Joe Hanks netted either side of the break for the Southern Premier Division outfit, who defended resolutely in Hampshire.
Gloucester started brightly, with Ashley Hemmings testing Ryan Gosney's goal on two occasions.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward fired over from a free kick on two minutes before cushioning a tame effort into the gloves of Ryan Gosney three minutes later.
Despite there being 25 league places between the two sides, it was the seventh tier outfit who continued to look dangerous, with Tyler Cordner thwarting Ed Williams’s close range strike.
Scott Rendell’s side, who reached the first round of this competition last term, came agonisingly close to the opener on 20 minutes with Cordner flicking Josh Sims’ cross wide from point-blank range.
Gloucester broke the deadlock five minutes before the break after Hemmings' free kick fell into the path of Joe Hanks, who prodded home past Gosney from close range.
Morgan Lewis came close to adding a second for the Visitors on half time but his fizzing low driven effort was kept out brilliantly by Gosney.
Ibby Olateju poked an effort over minutes prior to the interval before Tony Lee failed to convert a Charlie Betts delivery in first half stoppage time.
The Stags continued to search for an equaliser in the early exchanges of the second period, with Reece Fleet stabbing an effort wide of Jared Thompson’s goal.
The visitors doubled their tally five minutes into the second half after Williams’s cross was met by Hanks, who fired home his and Gloucester's second.
Christie Ward looked to halve the deficit on 54 minutes; however, his effort could only find the gloves of Thompson before substitute Sol Wanjau-Smith had an effort blocked just after the hour.
Dafydd Williams went within a whisker away from adding to their tally on 70 minutes, but Hemmings' curling effort narrowly eclipsed Gosney’s far post.
The Stags continued to probe questions at a resolute Gloucester defence, with both Josh Sims and Ralph Vigrass having efforts blocked in a dominant spell for the Stags.
Rendell’s side should have found the net on 81 minutes after a pinpoint Craig Tanner delivery was met by Cordner at the back post, but he headed wide.
The hosts peppered the visitors' goal, with second-half substitute Vigrass having two efforts blocked before defender Luke Hallett flashed wide on 86 minutes.
The Stags return to league action next Saturday when they visit Dover Athletic in the National League South.
AFC Totton : 13.Ryan Gosney , 2.Charlie Betts (Austin 55’) , 5. Luke Hallett, 7.Josh Sims (Vigrass 80’) , 8.Reece Fleet, 10.Tony Lee , 12. Charlie Osborne, 14. Ibby Olateju (Wanjau-Smith 61’), 19.Christie Ward, 21. Harvey Mills (Rose 55’) , 26.Tyler Cordner ©
