AFC Totton
The Stags face Wiiland Rovers this Saturday at the Snows Stadium following the massive win over Hedge End Town on Tuesday evening in the Southampton Senior Cup, scoring 12 goals!
The bar will be open from 12:00-noon with the Leeds United vs Tottenham Hotspur match shown live on BT Sport, kick-off 12:30pm.
Tickets on sale now from the ticket office: afctotton.ticketco.events/uk/en
Last time we previewed a match against Willand Rovers, the most notable thing about their season to that point was their inconsistency and, almost three months later, nothing has changed.
The Devon All-Whites remain decidedly mid-table with 32 points from 25 matches, which currently has them level on points with Larkhall Athletic (prior to their trip to Cinderford on Tuesday night), Highworth Town and Slimbridge. But manager Russell Jee, who has been in his post since 2016, is already guaranteed to deliver the club’s highest ever finish in the English Football Pyramid this season after being promoted as Western Football League Champions in 2018/19, and the two seasons since being curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the Stags triumphed 4-1 at Silver Street on 01 December, Rovers have continued their win-a-few, lose-a-few approach to life in the Southern League Div.1 South. Striker Benjamin Griffith has been amongst the goals, taking his league tally for the season to 11, amid a 3-1 home win over Cinderford, an odd goal in seven defeat at home to Plymouth Parkway on the day after Boxing Day, and a brace in a handsome 3-0 home win over Slimbridge on 15 January.
The recent departure of experienced defender and captain Adam Hill to join the Barum Revolution at Barnstaple Town will have been a blow to Jee’s squad but Willand already have enough points on the board this season to avoid being drawn into a relegation battle.
One of the main features of our previous encounter with the Devon All-Whites was the eagerness of goalkeeper George Burton to come rushing out of his area, sweeper-keeper style, which was like a red rag to a bull to Hisham Kasimu. It will be interesting to see whether Rovers adopt the same cavalier style at the Snows Stadium this time around.
WILLAND ROVERS: LAST 5 MATCHES – All Competitions
Sat 15 Jan Slimbridge H Southern League Div.1 South W 3-0
Sat 22 Jan Mangotsfield United A Southern League Div.1 South D 2-2
Wed 26 Jan Highworth Town H Southern League Div.1 South L 0-1
Sat 05 Feb Evesham United H Southern League Div.1 South W 1-0
Sat 12 Feb Larkhall Athletic A Southern League Div.1 South L 0-1
AFC TOTTON vs WILLAND ROVERS – Previous Meetings
AFC Totton and Willand Rovers have only met on three previous occasions.
On 03 September 2019, a 3rd minute goal from the Stags’ Patrick Nolan was all that separated the sides, the newly-promoted Willand providing a stern test for Totton on their own ground.
By the time of the return match in Exeter on 30 November 2020, Totton fielded a much-changed team following the arrival of Glenn Howes as manager, and the Stags chalked up a stunning 5-0 away win courtesy of two goals from Brett Williams and one each from Craig Feeney, Freddie Read and Ethan Taylor.
Ethan was quick off the mark in the midweek encounter at Silver Street on Wednesday 01 December, opening the scoring in the very first minute. He and Hisham Kasimu ended the game with two goals apiece as AFC Totton ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.
By Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Historian
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
Kit graphics courtesy of Bolid74Kits
