AFC Totton
For information about FREE coach travel to this match, including the email link to book your seat, scroll to the bottom of the page.
AFC Totton’s exciting exploits in the 2021/22 Buildbase FA Trophy began with a 6-0 thrashing of Barnstaple Town in the 2nd Qualifying Round, courtesy of four goals by Hisham Kasimu in the October sunshine. They followed that with the 2-0 defeat of Dorchester Town at the Snows Stadium in Dan Sackman’s first match in charge against his former mentors, who had defected to the Magpies in controversial circumstances during the preceding week.
The 1st Round proper produced an epic cup tie against Southern League Div.1 South promotion rivals Frome Town that finished 2-2 before eventually being resolved by Jack Hoey’s winning spot-kick in the penalty shoot-out. And then an army of Stags supporters made Canvey Island their temporary home as the players ran riot against Concord Rangers, a side from two divisions higher up the football pyramid, to the tune of a historic 5-0 win.
Meanwhile, Larkhall Athletic, who herald from Bath in Somerset and were founded in 1914, began their FA Trophy campaign with qualifying wins against two teams who have both beaten Totton on our own ground this season. The Larks followed-up a 3-1 home win over Slimbridge in the 2nd Qualifying Round with an emphatic 5-1 away thumping of Paulton Rovers at the end of October.
Like Totton, Larkhall’s 1st Round proper tie went to penalties. They drew 2-2 at Marlow of the Isthmian League South Central division, which is on the same level of the English Football Pyramid as our own Southern League Div.1 South. The shoot-out progressed into a so-called Sudden Death situation, which Athletic finally won 6-5. And, also like Totton, the Larks had to take down Magpies to continue their cup adventures, the Southern League Premier South’s bottom club Wimborne Town losing 1-2 at home.
With Vanarama National clubs entering the competition at this stage, both clubs could be forgiven for salivating at the prospect of a plum tie against the likes of Torquay United, Yeovil Town or, dare we say it, Eastleigh. But this match-up of two Southern League Div.1 South sides means that our division will definitely be represented in the 4th Round, with a potential draw against a Big Club coming then.
The Larks should be well-rested coming into this match. While Totton produced arguably their best league performance of the season to put three goals past league leaders Frome Town without reply on Tuesday night, Larkhall’s trip to Plymouth Parkway was postponed. It means that manager Ollie Price, a former Larkhall player who took charge on 25 November and had previously managed Mangotsfield United, will be taking on just his fourth game since taking the reins at Plain Ham – the second of which was a 2-1 away win for the Stags, a fortnight ago.
Last Saturday, they overcame Craig Feeney’s Winchester City at the SimplyHealth City Ground. Winchester took an early lead through Jamie Barron but were behind by the 26th-minute thanks to goals from Larkhall’s Brad Norris and Daniel Demkiv. Warren Bentley levelled the scores before half-time, but Norris and Demkiv were both on target again in the second half to secure a 4-2 victory that leaves Larkhall in 11th position with 24 points from 16 matches.
LARKHALL ATHLETIC: LAST 5 MATCHES – All Competitions
Sat 20 Nov 21 Slimbridge A Southern League Div.1 South W 3-2
Wed 24 Nov 21 Evesham United H Southern League Div.1 South D 3-3
Sat 27 Nov 21 Wimborne Town A Buildbase FA Trophy 2nd Round W 2-1
Sat 04 Dec 21 AFC Totton H Southern League Div.1 South L 1-2
Sat 11 Dec 21. Winchester City A Southern League Div.1 South L 2-4
AFC TOTTON vs LARKHALL ATHLETIC – Previous Meetings
There have been 14 meetings between these two sides since the 2014/15 season – including the one at Plain Ham a fortnight ago. The Larks still have the better of the head-to-head record with 6 wins to Totton’s 5 but the Stags closed the gap with that 2-1 victory. It will go some way to further erase the memory of the 1-6 drubbing that Larkhall dished out at Testwood Park at the start of the 2016/17 season to record the biggest win for either side.
The following season, Totton managed to take all 6 points with a 1-0 away win, thanks to an infamous goal by Nimes Pina, which they followed-up with a 2-0 victory at home courtesy of a rare headed goal by Craig Feeney and a thunderbolt of a free-kick by Tony Lee.
In our FA Trophy full-dress rehearsal the week before last, Hisham Kasimu got us off to a great start with a goal in the opening minute. And the livewire striker added a second moments before half-time. Larkhall got back into the game on 55 minutes when Lewis Waterfield was sent off for a foul inside the penalty area and Dale Evans converted the spot-kick. The Stags stood firm in the face of a barrage of crosses from the home side and battled all the way to the final whistle to secure the points. Read the full match report of that game.
FREE COACH TRAVEL
LARKHALL ATHLETIC vs AFC TOTTON
The Buildbase FA Trophy 3rd Round
Saturday 18 December 2021
Plain Ham Stadium, Bath, Somerset
To book your place on the coach, please email stagstravel@afctotton.com and follow the on-screen prompts to provide the information we need to confirm your booking.
The coach leaves the Snows Stadium at 12:00-noon (kick-off will at 3:00pm). Why not arrive early and enjoy a hearty breakfast at G-Hosp in the Straker’s Bar?!
Larkhall’s Plain Ham ground is notorious for being located on a hilltop, which coaches cannot directly access. AFC Totton sponsors Airlynx will be laying on a free minibus shuttle service to transport fans from the coach park to the ground itself, so fans will not be required to trek their own way up the hill.
ADMISSION PRICES - Matchday Tickets (Payable on the Gate)
Adults £9.00
Concessions £7.00
Accompanied Under-16s FREE
By Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Historian
