AFC Totton
TOTTON THROUGH TO THE NEXT ROUND OF THE HAMPSHIRE CUP
AFC Totton are through to the third round of the Hampshire Senior Cup thanks to a 5-3 victory away to Basingstoke Town.
The game started scrappily, with both sides unable to really get their foot on the ball and build any rhythm. However, it wasn't long before The Stags found their groove, with Josh Sims going close after 12 minutes as his effort struck the side netting.
It wasn't much longer before Totton opened the scoring. Tyler Cordner met a beautifully floated cross from Declan Rose, powering his header home to give The Stags a deserved 1-0 lead.
The visitors continued to dominate for the remainder of the first half and doubled their advantage less than 10 minutes later. Sol Wanju-Smith latched onto a ball played down the line by Reuben Austin, rounded the onrushing goalkeeper and calmly rolled the ball into the empty net.
Josh Sims then made it 3-0 with a brilliant individual effort. A quick turn on the edge of the penalty area created the opening before he guided a composed finish into the bottom-left corner, leaving Basingstoke goalkeeper Reuben Egan with no chance and putting Totton firmly in control at the break.
The Stags came out for the second half firing. Ralph Vigrass finished off a well-worked Totton move emphatically into the top-right corner to make it 4-0, before Christie Ward added a fifth less than a minute later. Josh Sims found Ward on the edge of the penalty area, and with plenty of time and space, he calmly placed his finish past Egan to complete a devastating start to the second half.
Basingstoke responded with a spirited fightback as Tom Blake and Christos Papakonstantiou found the net in the 62nd and 67th minutes respectively. Billy Upton added a third for the hosts a minute before full-time, but it wasn't enough as The Stags ran out deserved 5-3 winners.
Totton's next match is next weekend when they return to league action, welcoming Walton & Hersham to the Snows Stadium.
Starting XI: 31 Keanu Black, 2 Charlie Betts, 3 Reuben Austin (Matthew Chandler 68'), 7 Josh Sims (Luke Bennett 51'), 8 Reece Fleet, 10 Tony Lee (Charlie Osborne 5'), 11 Sol Wanju-Smith (Luke Hallett 77'), 17 Declan Rose (Harry Mills 77'), 19 Christie Ward, 23 Ralph Vigrass, 26 Tyler Cordner (Captain).
BY HARRISON COOK
