AFC Totton
STAGS ADD TO BASHLEY WOES
AFC Totton 4-0 Bashley
(Sherborne 24, 71, Feeney 69, Gosney 88)
Attendance – 288
The Stags were back at Testwood Stadium for the first time in almost a month, for the New Forest Derby and the visit of former manager Steve Riley and his side, Bashley.
For the opening 20 minutes or so, there was little in the way of noteworthy action, although Totton were comfortably on top, penning Bashley in their half for most of that period. That was until Nathaniel SHERBORNE opened the scoring, following a good individual run and a cool finish to the keepers left hand side.
This seemed to give the visitors some real determination and grit as they began to launch a couple of assaults on goal themselves. The first of 2 efforts by Jerrard went over and out of the ground, the second, was a comfortable save for Mowthorpe, who just had to get his body behind the ball to make sure.
As half time approached, The Stags seemed to have lost a little of their momentum that they’d previously built and Bashley ended the half with the final say, with Connor Duffy shooting harmlessly wide. HT 1-0
The Stags again, began the second period the brighter of the two sides, but for the mean time, were unable to increase the score as Luke Dempsey nodded just over from a Mike Gosney corner and Sherborne with a curled attempt, which keeper Rob Gillett saved well.
As the half wore on, there seemed to be a growing tension in the air, as it is no secret that Bashley had conceded so many goals, but The Stags were only 1 up. That was until the final 20 minutes, which saw 3 Totton goals to leave everybody with a smile on their face. Firstly, Nathaniel Sherborne turned away from his marker well before laying off to Craig FEENEY, who doubled the lead from close range. The game was finally put out of sight as club stalwart SHERBORNE added his 2nd of the evening from close range, leaving Gillett with no chance as the ball fizzed past him and into the net.
With the game drawing to a close, credit to Bashley, they kept working hard and pressing, but unfortunately for them, every effort on goal, was both from distance and either blocked and then cleared, or simply nowhere near the target.
The Stags fans were then treated to a glimpse of what the future may hold, as two teenage substitutes combined, to create The Stags 4th and final goal. Jake Rawkins, on for Jake Burgess and Matt Brewer, on for Feeney, both combined with a lovely one two, to split the Bashley defence and allow Rawkins to deliver a peach of a ball for Mike GOSNEY to head home, in what was possibly the best move of the match. FT 4-0
Both sides appeared to be low on confidence and a little lacklustre, but it was The Stags class that eventually told, even if the Totton supporters did have to wait until the final 20 minutes to put a stubborn Bashley side away. That was probably in part, due to the return of Steve Riley, who will have had an awful lot of knowledge about a large chunk of the Totton squad and their preferences on the pitch, therefore could set up to frustrate and cause trouble for The Stags. Perhaps people will agree that Bashley certainly did the former, in frustrating The Stags, but failed to produce the latter – any trouble. All in all,
The Stags will need to improve for their FA Trophy trip to Tiverton Town this Saturday (3pm), but no-one will have any complaints about winning their 3rd New Forest Derby 4-0 in a row.
Stags Lineup: Mowthorpe, Hibberd (c), Diaper, Williams, Dempsey**, Simpson, Burgess*, Allen, Feeney***, Sherborne, Gosney.
Subs: Manning, Roden**, Rawkins*, Brewer***, Rolls.
