AFC Totton
VENUE
The Corinium Stadium, Kingshill Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1HS
Current Southern League Div.1 South leaders Cirencester Town have been something of a dark horse this season, well-placed among the play-off places since the beginning of the campaign from where a recent surge in their results has powered them past Sholing, AFC Totton and Frome Town into top spot.
Among their most noteworthy results have been a 3-0 away win at Evesham United at the end of August, a 6-0 home win over Slimbridge in mid-October – in which Harry Williams and Joshua Grace-Parsons both racked up hat-tricks – and a 4-3 triumph at home to Paulton Rovers, despite being 0-2 down after 22 minutes.
They are through to the semi-finals of the Gloucestershire Senior Cup, after beating Bristol City Under-23s 3-2 in the quarter-final earlier this month. But Truro City ended the Centurions’ interest in the Buildbase FA Trophy at the 3rd Qualifying Round with a 0-1 defeat, and they fell at the same stage of the FA Cup with a 2-3 defeat at Hungerford Town of the National League South. And in the Southern League Challenge Cup, they suffered a 2nd Round exit to Wantage Town in early November.
But, Cirencester’s league form has got steadily better throughout the course of the season, culminating in a run of 9 matches without defeat and an excellent 2-0 victory at Frome Town this past Saturday, thanks to a brace from physically imposing midfielder Nicholas Peare, including a 25-yard free-kick.
Forward Joshua Grace-Parsons has scored 14 league goals so far this season, putting him in joint 3rd place in the Southern League Div.1 South scoring charts behind our very own Hisham Kasimu on 15 goals and Leighton Thomas of Paulton Rovers on 20. Central defender Jake Lee is a frequent contributor of goals from set-pieces, and Levi Irving, who often wears the No.11 shirt, is also a significant goal threat.
This will be the first meeting of the season between AFC Totton and Cirencester Town. The return match at the Snows Stadium is scheduled for Saturday 12 March.
CIRENCESTER TOWN – LAST 5 MATCHES (All Competitions)
Sat 01 Jan 22 Highworth Town A Southern League Div.1 South W 3-1
Tue 04 Jan 22 Bristol City H Gloucestershire Senior Cup, QF W 3-2
Sat 08 Jan 22 Melksham Town H Southern League Div.1 South W 3-1
Tue 11 Jan 22 Larkhall Athletic H Southern League Div.1 South D 1-1
Sat 15 Jan 22 Frome Town A Southern League Div.1 South W 0-2
AFC TOTTON vs CIRENCESTER TOWN – Previous Meetings
There have been 12 encounters between these two sides since the 2008/09 season, of which Totton have won 7, drawn 1 and lost 4. But Cirencester have won 3 of the last 4, with the other being a draw. In fact, the Stags haven’t beaten the Centurions since December 2017.
In November 2008, two goals from James Taylor sent the Stags on their way to a 4-2 away win, with an own goal and one from Michael Osman completing the scoring. Then, a year later, a brace from Brett Williams secured a 2-1 home win. The two sides would go on to meet each other in the Southern League Div.1 South & West promotion play-off at the end of that season when, despite goals from Price and Whisken, the Stags lost 2-3 and missed out on a place in the Southern League Premier.
All of Totton’s last 3 goals against Cirencester were scored by Craig Feeney, the most recent of those turned out to be a mere consolation goal in a 1-2 defeat in Gloucestershire in December 2019, in front of a crowd of 75.
By Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Historian
