AFC Totton
VENUE: Plain Ham, Charlcombe Lane, Bath BA1 8DJ
Book your place on The Stags' coach to Larkhall
A thorn in the side of The Stags last season, Larkhall Athletic will entertain AFC Totton at their Plain Ham ground in Bath on Saturday afternoon in the hope that last weekend’s 4-2 win at local rivals Paulton Rovers will put an end to what had otherwise been a sluggish start to their 2022/23 campaign.
The Larks were responsible for knocking Totton out of last season’s FA Trophy in an ill-tempered 3rd Round tie a week before Christmas, coming back from Hisham Kasimu’s opener to win 2-1. That match came just a fortnight after a Kasimu brace saw The Stags win at the same venue by the same scoreline in the teams’ first league encounter of 2021/22.
But Larkhall made it the best of three with another 2-1 victory at the Snows Stadium in early-March, as the prospect of automatic promotion and, ultimately, a place in the play-offs began to slip through Totton’s grasp.
The Larks finished the season in mid-table, taking 11th spot with 39 points from 36 matches, thanks more to their defensive ability than their prowess in front of goal at the other end.
Former club captain and now Manager Ollie Price strengthened his ranks with several signings in the close season. Among them was goalkeeper Jack Arthur, who was with Bideford AFC last season; he arrived on loan from Exeter City. Teenaged central defender Nial Lovelock signed for The Larks after being released by Bristol Rovers, together with box-to-box midfielder Max Williams, who joined from Bristol City. Harley Prior had to settle for a cameo appearance in last weekend’s win against his former club, having signed from Paulton in the summer. And, fellow defender Andre Freckleton made the switch from relegated Mangotsfield United, where he was also joined by former Newport County and Cinderford Town attacking midfielder, Owen Taylor.
AFC Totton's Ethan Taylor takes on a Larkhall Athletic defender during the FA Trophy match at Plain Ham in December 2021.
Southern League Div.1 South newcomers Tavistock AFC took the spoils on the opening day of the season, with an away win at Plain Ham by a single Benjamin Cross goal. And The Larks suffered a second consecutive defeat against promoted opposition with a 2-4 loss at Bishop’s Cleeve. An 81st-minute equaliser from new signing Shea Bennington-Mannings against his former club salvaged a point from Larkhall’s trip to Bristol Manor Farm, but that proved to be The Larks’ only point by the end of August, courtesy of a 0-4 home defeat at the hands of last season’s league runners-up, Frome Town.
As for most clubs at this level, Larkhall’s league fixture schedule was largely disrupted throughout September by FA Cup and FA Trophy commitments, but Larkhall did manage to fit in a 0-2 defeat at Wimborne Town on Saturday 17 September. A 1-1 draw at home to Bideford on the first day of October was followed by a 0-3 loss at Bashley, before a 2-2 draw at home to Cinderford Town and that recent win over Paulton put them on 6 points from their first 9 games – 5 points but only one position higher than last placed Lymington Town.
In the Emirates FA Cup, The Larks dispatched two teams local to Totton in the Extra Preliminary Round and the Preliminary Round, in the shape of Folland Sports and Cowes Sports, respectively, though they needed a replay to beat Cowes after a 1-1 draw on the Isle of Wight. A 0-2 defeat to Cirencester Town ended their involvement at the 1st Round Qualifying stage. And their Isuzu FA Trophy campaign was over as soon as it began, with a 0-2 defeat in 1st Round Qualifying at home to Melksham Town in mid-September.
Historically, Larkhall Athletic hold the advantage in their head-to-head meetings with The Stags. Of 16 matches since the 2014/15 season, The Larks have won on 8 occasions; Totton have won 5, with 3 draws.
Despite their less than stellar start to the 2022/23 season, AFC Totton Manager Jimmy Ball refuses to take The Larks lightly ahead of his side’s trip to Somerset on Saturday:
“Nobody should be fooled by their current league position this early in the season. We know what they’re about and how they’ll approach it. They are a good club with a strong team, and we’re going to have to work very hard to match them and then take our chances when they come. I’m looking forward to it – should be a good game.”
By Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Historian
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
