AFC Totton
SUPER STAGS SHO THE WAY
By Sean McGlead
AFC Totton continued their excellent start to the season with a hard fought win over their local rivals Sholing at the Testwood Stadium this afternoon. The wet and windy weather probably knocked 75-100 off of today’s gate, but never the less there was still a decent crowd in the stadium eagerly anticipating this derby clash.
Stags boss Steve Riley kept the same side that won at Evesham on Saturday with Zac Mouland keeping hold of the No 10 shirt ahead of Nathaniel Sherborne.
As most derby games do, the game started at 100 mph with tackles flying in and there was little in the way of flowing football on show. That is not to say that the early exchanges weren’t entertaining because they were, it was like two boxers jabbing away in the early rounds trying to get to grips with their opponents.
The Stags did force a couple of early corners, but neither of them came to anything. The first real effort on goal didn’t come until the 10th minute when a high ball towards the edge of the Sholing box was nodded down by Gilbert and Jamie Bullpit ran onto the ball and tried his luck from 25 yards, only to see his shot go about six inches wide of the left hand post.
Sholing then showed themselves as an attacking force when Terry Cuthbertson went down the right and put over a really good cross for Ex Stag Nathan Lynch to head down towards goal, luckily from a Totton point of view Steve Mowthorpe got down with an outstretched arm to push away the effort, Byron Mason then followed up a little too strongly for the referee’s liking and the Stags were awarded a free kick.
Then right on the quarter of an hour mark Totton took the lead. I didn’t see the build up as I was making a few notes at the time, but I looked up just in time to see Craig FEENEY turning and smashing a shot low to Matt Brown’s left and the ball flew into the net much to the delight of the Stags faithful.
On 19 minutes he impressive Liam Gilbert picked up a loose ball in midfield before surging forward and shooting from 25 yards. Gilberts shot went about three of four feet wide of Matt Browns left hand upright.
Sholing were looking determined to get level and they had a great chance when Nathan Lynch was played in on goal, Lynch let fly with a goal bound shot from eight yards out, but somehow Steve Mowthorpe pulled off a top drawer save, by pushing away Lynches effort. The save drew loud applause from the Totton fans and rightly so.
Then came a moment of madness from Nathan Lynch. The Sholing No 9 came flying in with a tackle on Liam Gilbert. Lynches challenge upended the Stags No 6 and earned the Sholing striker a straight red card. Maybe the frustrations of missing two good chances had got to him.
Zac Mouland had an effort on goal for Totton on 36 minutes with a dipping 30 yard effort that went about two feet over Matt Brown’s crossbar. Then Stags almost increased their lead when Kyle O Brien twisted then turned and shot across the face of goal on 39 minutes.
Sholing to their credit did not let the sending off of Lynch bother them and they fashioned a really good equaliser on 40 minutes. Byron Mason flew down their right and put over a delightful cross which another ex Stag Kane CRISP came in and met at the near post to make it 1-1.
Totton didn’t appear rattled and they went straight back on the attack, the very lively Totton No 9 Craig Feeney tried a shot from the edge of the box and Matt Brown got down to save the Ex Totton & Eling and Blackfield strikers effort.
Then with half time almost upon them, Totton regained the lead. The ginger headed maestro Liam Gilbert put through a great ball for Craig FEENEY to slip his effort past Matt Brown and into the net for his third brace in a row.
Half Time 2-1 to Totton.
Totton were quickly out of the blocks for the 2nd half. A long ball into the box was flicked on and Zac Mouland got his head to the ball, but Zac could only head the ball straight into Matt Brown’s grateful arms.
Liam Gilbert was again at the heart of Totton’s play. Gilbert threaded through a lovely ball to Zac Mouland and the Stags No 10 found himself one on one with Matt Brown. Zac tried to slide the ball past the Boatmen’s keeper, but to Matt Brown’s credit he stayed tall and saved with his feet and the danger was cleared by the Sholing defence.
Sholing’s Byron Mason then tried to level things up only to see his shot deflected wide of Steve Mowthorpe’s right hand post.
Totton then went back on the attack and Jamie Bullpit, who had been having a good game for the Stags tried his luck with a shot that went just over the bar.
Totton then piled on a bit of pressure to try and put the game beyond the Boatmen, firstly Craig Feeney had a shot blocked by a Sholing leg, then Liam Gilbert had the same thing happen to him when he went for goal as Sholing threw their bodies in the way of both of these goal bound efforts.
Totton then very nearly added a third when a great overhead kick pass from Craig Feeney went to Drew Bridge just outside the box and Bridge played the ball across to substitute Sherborne who blasted over from 12 yards.
Sholing forced a corner on 76 minutes and it found Stuart Mott at the back post, but Motts header was off target.
The game was really entertaining and to Sholing’s credit they were giving their all, they were by no means out of the game. To prove that very point Byron Mason muscled his way through a crowd of payers just outside the box before letting fly, only for Super Stevie Mowthorpe to pull another fine save.
Totton then finished strongly with O Brien being denied with a header from a Bullpit cross and then, a Gilbert corner was headed over by Rob Flooks.
The last bit of action saw Totton’s No 9 Craig Feeney swivel and turn before shooting just over the bar a couple of minutes from time. It was perhaps quite fitting that the Totton striker had the last effort as he was named man of the match by the Stags executive club.
Full Time 2-1 to Totton.
As derby games go this was an action packed game and I think both managers will be pleased with their team’s efforts. Both sides were fully committed. I have to say that despite losing Nathan Lynch to a red card before half time, at no time did you feel that Totton had the game in the bag. It is well known in football that sometimes it is harder to play against 10 men and today it could be argued that this was the case for Totton. That is not to say the Stags didn’t deserve the victory because I think they did. Steve Riley’s massively improving young side again played some really good football and I think the Stags supporters are really enjoying watching this young side continuing to develop. There would be several Stags candidates for man of the match and that speaks volumes about how well this Totton team played once again.
Att 315
Feature Photo by Ashley Gatehouse
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