AFC Totton
VENUE: Langsford Park, Crowndale Road, Tavistock, Devon PL19 3DD.
JIMMY BALL’S STAGS will make the first of four visits to Devon on Saturday, to take on last season’s Western League Premier Division Champions, Tavistock AFC.
Although the weather forecast for the Tavistock area is not promising, the AFC Totton boss will be keen to see his team return to action as soon as possible after having had each of their last three scheduled matches – away to Sholing, and subsequent home games against Frome Town and Paulton Rovers – all postponed due to waterlogged pitches.
The Lambs will be looking to avenge the 6-1 slaughter they experienced at the Snows Stadium in late November, when four goals from winger Matty Burrows and two from Ethan Taylor led AFC Totton to a handsome home win. That heavy defeat was the first of four consecutive losses for Manager Stuart Henderson’s team, culminating in a 1-3 away defeat in the Christmas Eve Devon Derby at Willand Rovers.
PUT IT THERE: AFC Totton players celebrate a goal during their 6-1 win over Tavistock AFC at the Snows Stadium in November.
But Tavvy have already got on the good foot in 2023. The Southern League Div.1 South’s current top goalscorer Liam Prynn took his league total to 16 goals with the opener against Bideford AFC on Monday 02 January, at Langsford Park. Alex Battle, who scored Tavistock’s consolation goal at the Snows Stadium, notched his 9th league goal of the season to secure a 2-0 win.
They followed that up with a 2-1 success in Wiltshire against Melksham Town, last Saturday. Joseph O’Connor’s 27th minute goal cancelled out Ben Brooks’ opener for the home side just six minutes earlier. Joshua Parry added a second in the 82nd minute to confirm a valuable away win for The Lambs, leaving them sixth in the league table, one point behind Exmouth Town, who currently occupy the last of the promotion play-off places. Tavvy have two games in-hand over their Devon rivals.
Of their last 12 league matches, Tavistock have won 7 and lost 5, with no draws. Our records do not list any previous meetings between AFC Totton and Tavistock, other than the 6-1 win for The Stags in November.
Totton are unbeaten in 13 league matches, dating back to the August Bank Holiday Monday. But they will travel to Devon on Saturday morning having not kicked a ball in anger since Boxing Day. The 2nd-place Stags have two games in-hand over league leaders Sholing, who they will meet in the re-arranged fixture at the Imperial Homes Stadium on Tuesday 07 February. They also have three games in-hand over Wimborne Town, who currently sit in 3rd place, level with Totton on 39 points but behind on goal difference.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Photo credit: Tom Phillips
