AFC Totton
The Stags welcome Evesham to the Snows this Saturday as they get back on the promotion trail.
The Saints don't play until Sunday, so come along and get behind the other local team!
Tickets are available to buy in advance now.
Judging by the early weeks of the 2022/23 season, Worcestershire-based Evesham United are among the most-improved teams in the Southern League Div.1 South in comparison to last season.
The high-flying Robins come into Saturday’s game against AFC Totton at the Snows Stadium occupying fourth place in the table, which puts them nine places higher than where they finished 2021/22. That being said, they were left spitting feathers on the opening day of the new season when George Rigg’s 90th-minute strike consigned them to defeat in the Robins Derby at Frome Town. But two goals in three second-half minutes at newly-promoted Westbury United saw them get their first points on the board.
They rounded out August with a second defeat, at home to Sholing, and a 3-0 home win over Bishop’s Cleeve, with two goals from 28-year-old forward Benjamin Whitehead who was on-target again in the 3-2 win over Bristol Manor Farm in early-September. They lost 1-4 at Exmouth Town midway through the month. Since then, 2-1 wins – all of them at home – against Lymington Town, Melksham Town and Bideford AFC last weekend, have been interspersed by draws at Slimbridge AFC and Bashley, giving them 20 points from 11 matches.
Meanwhile, their interest in the Emirates FA Cup was ended in the Extra Preliminary Round by Hinckley Leicester Road FC, who won promotion to the Northern Premier League Div.1 Midlands (Step 8) last season. In the Isuzu FA Trophy, The Robins overcame Aylesbury United and Lymington Town before being knocked out in 3rd Round Qualifying by Leiston of the Southern League Premier Division Central.
Defender Jordan Lymn just can’t stay away from The Spiers & Hartwell Stadium. The 24-year-old is currently in his fourth spell with Evesham, having re-joined the club from Cirencester Town in October. He lists Cheltenham Town, Bishop’s Cleeve, Shortwood United and North Leigh among his previous clubs.
Benjamin Whitehead joined in the summer from Cirencester Town, who now play in the Southern League Div.1 Central after an administrative reshuffle by the league over the summer. He was part of The Centurions squad that finished third in Div.1 South last season. His fellow summer signing Owen James, who made the switch from Stratford Town, has also been among the goals for his new team during the early weeks of the campaign. Whitehead and James were among nine new recruits in the close season, with Lymn arriving more recently.
Attacking midfielder Jake Adams takes on an Evesham United defender during the meeting between these two sides at the Snows Stadium in April.
Last season’s encounters between AFC Totton and Evesham United were certainly eventful. The first meeting in Worcestershire in November was a six-goal thriller with the honours shared at 3-3, thanks to a late goal by The Robins’ centre-forward Michael Symons. Totton ended the return match down to nine men following red cards for defenders Harry Medway and Ben Jefford – who scored a scorcher in that 3-3 earlier in the season – but still held on to secure a clean sheet to ensure that Hisham Kasimu’s 12th-minute penalty was enough to take the three points.
In 15 meetings since 2011/12, Evesham have won 7 times while Totton have 4 wins to their name, with 4 draws. The biggiest single win by either side was a 6-0 triumph for Evesham in November 2015. Totton’s biggest wins are a pair of 3-1 victories. A Nathaniel Sherborne brace plus one from Stefan Brown secured the points in February 2012; Robin Nicholls, Silvano Obeng and Craig Feeney scored the goals in November 2019.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
