AFC Totton
PRE-SEASON 2022/23 - MATCHDAY 05
Saturday 23 July 2022
AFC TOTTON 2
Scott Rendell 38mins (pen); Luke Hallett 57mins
WINCHESTER CITY 3
Archie Willcox 28mins; IK Hill 28mins; Warren Bentley 44mins (pen)
Despite dominating the ball for much of the early stages against newly-higher division opposition in Winchester City, a mad minute in which they conceded two goals seemingly from nowhere undid AFC Totton as they went down to their second successive pre-season defeat in a nevertheless entertaining friendly at the Snows Stadium yesterday (Saturday).
Jimmy Ball named a slightly reduced squad of 17 players for the Stags’ fifth match of the pre-season campaign, with young midfielder Brenno Narezzi the only one to come into the group who didn’t play against Havant & Waterlooville. Ethan Taylor, who came off the bench on Tuesday night, made his first start since suffering an horrific tackle from behind at Hythe & Dibden that necessitated his substitution at Clayfields.
AFC TOTTON - Starting Line-Up
1. Lloyd THOMAS
2. Callum BAUGHAN
3. Michael GREEN
4. Mike CARTER
5. Harry MEDWAY
6. Luke HALLETT
7. Freddie READ
8. Jake ADAMS
9. Jireh OYEBAMIJI
10. Scott RENDELL
11. Ethan TAYLOR
Substitutes
12. Lewis WATERFIELD
14. Enrique RUSSELL
15. Yemi ODUBADE
16. Adam TOMASSO
17. Jordan RAGGUETTE
18. Brenno NAREZZI
FAMILIAR FOES: The players of AFC Totton and Winchester City greet each other before their pre-season friendly encounter at the Snows Stadium.
Winchester, in their traditional red-and-black stripes, kicked-off on a warm but breezy afternoon at the Snows Stadium, where for the first five minutes or so there were several honest but robust exchanges in a crowded midfield that prevented either side from getting on the ball long enough to create anything in front of goal.
Scott Rendell took up a position on the left side of the penalty area to meet Ethan Taylor’s angled cross but his knock down was dealt with by a covering defender to prevent Jireh Oyebamiji connecting with it. Then, Rendell stretched his tall frame between two defenders in an attempt to reach Callum Baughan’s well-struck delivery but he couldn’t reach the ball as it flashed across the goalmouth.
Totton were beginning to control most of the early possession and strong defensive headers by Luke Hallett and Michael Green gave Freddie Read the chance to tee-up Ethan Taylor for the game’s first real attempt on goal, which bounced twice on its way to being gathered by Winchester goalkeeper Charlie Philpott.
The visitors managed to get forward for the first time of note in the 7th minute but the cross by Alex MacAllister was miss-hit into the grateful arms of Lloyd Thomas. Shortly after, Jake Adams was played into the right-wing byline by Taylor’s clever pass. He drilled the ball towards the centre where Philpott was down quickly to snuff out the danger before the ball could reach Rendell.
The Citizens’ Josh Bertie found himself in acres of space pushing forward from left-back, enabling him to collect a cross-field free-kick and attempt a looped delivery into the Totton box, which he may have overhit, requiring Thomas to watch the ball carefully as it dropped just over his crossbar.
A neat passing move by Totton, instigated in the centre-circle by Adams’s lay-off to Green on the left touchline, before several Stags got involved to create chance for Rendell, was disappointingly halted by an offside flag. And within seconds, from Philpott’s long goal-kick, Warren Bentley was through on the Totton goal in the inside-left but blasted his effort high over the top.
Freddie Read had the ball stolen off his toe just outside his own area, allowing MacAllister to square the ball to former-Stags striker Silvano Obeng, who managed to twist away from Medway and fire a low shot that Thomas got down quickly to parry away from his bottom-right corner.
GIVE HIM SPACE: Winchester City players wisely keep their distance as Mike Carter receives possession in midfield for The Stags.
Totton were generally good in possession, with Read and Mike Carter both patrolling the midfield to snatch the ball back quickly whenever it was lost. Carter was fouled in just such an incident, mid-way inside the Winchester half towards the right-hand side. Green send a high, in-swinging ball into the box and Luke Hallett got up early to direct a looping header past Philpott but against the right-hand upright. A goalmouth scramble ensued, during which Taylor managed to gain possession and tried to square to a teammate, but Winchester stabbed the ball away. Then, Taylor sent in another ball from the right which just eluded Rendell at the back post.
Read atoned for his earlier error by scurrying back to make a crucial interception inside his own area after Hallett’s pass out from the back went astray. His pass into midfield was worked to Baughan who threaded it into the path of Taylor, whose low shot was blocked by Philpott’s legs. Taylor had the next attempt on the Citizens’ goal, too, receiving the ball in a central position just outside the box, among a ruck of red-and-black. He chopped back-and-forth to find half-a-yard and then let fly with a left-footed strike that seared over the crossbar.
Taylor continued to cause mischief in the opposition half, running onto Read’s through-ball, checking inside his marker and shooting low from the edge of the area. The ball spun upward off a defender’s foot, prompting Rendell to come bounding into the frame until Philpott managed to poke the ball away with his left glove. In what was fast becoming an end-to-end encounter, Obeng used his considerable strength to hold off Hallett and Harry Medway near the Totton penalty area, until Medway was able to hack the ball away. The Stags quickly worked the ball forward for Rendell to force a corner on the left. The corner was only cleared as far as Read on the edge of the D, and his right-footed hit fizzed narrowly past the right-hand post.
For all Totton’s dominance, they were susceptible to the counter-attack. Warren Bentley beat the offside trap on the right flank and passed to Obeng’s feet. He rolled the ball back for MacAllister to strike low, forcing Thomas to deflect wide with his foot. Winchester skipper Jamie Barron took the corner and received the ball back again further back along the right flank, Green doing well to divert his second delivery behind for another corner. This time, Barron’s cross was high to the far side of the penalty spot where centre-back Archie WILLCOX climbed highest to head past Thomas and a blue-shirted defender on the line.
It was a minor setback for the home side, but before Totton could settle back into their rhythm they were 0-2 down. Winchester got the ball forward down their left flank for IK Hill, from where the former Alresford winger was able to isolate Callum Baughan and engage him in a merry dance of twisting this-way-and-that for several seconds. In the absence of any defensive reinforcements arriving to assist Baughan, IK HILL squeezed a low shot past Lloyd Thomas at the near post.
Totton managed to shake themselves back into the game by winning a corner on the right-hand side, which Adams delivered onto the considerable forehead of Medway about 9 yards out, but he was stretching to reach it and couldn’t keep it down.
Jake Adams pulled a smart save from Charlie Philpott with a direct free-kick from 25 yards, after Taylor had been clattered from behind in an aerial challenge. Then, Taylor found himself on the end of a late sliding challenge by Alex MacAllister that resulted in a painful stud or two into his left foot. The challenge brought an audible wince from the crowd and Taylor, perhaps still smarting from his experience at Hythe & Dibden almost a fortnight ago, reacted angrily, shoving MacAllister and sparking a melee that the Referee had to quell. While Taylor received treatment to his foot, this being a friendly, the Referee took the unusual step of offering Winchester’s manager Craig Davis the opportunity of substituting MacAllister or watching him get sent-off. Davis’s immediate response was bluer than an AFC Totton home shirt, but the Referee stood firm and Claudio Herbert, recently of Sholing, came on in MacAllister’s place.
TAKE ME OUT: City goalkeeper Charlie Philpott trips Ethan Taylor for a penalty.
Inevitably, Ethan Taylor was involved in the next significant incident in the 38th minute when he latched onto Oyebamiji’s short pass across the penalty spot and tried to go around Philpott, only to have his right leg taken away to send him tumbling to the turf. The Referee pointed to the spot and Scott RENDELL ran up to stroke the ball past Philpott, who managed to get a hand on it but couldn’t stop the veteran centre-forward halving the deficit with his fifth goal of pre-season.
BEAMER: Scott Rendell is all smiles after converting the spot-kick.
Totton had their tails up and Oyebamiji won a corner on the left. Medway went down as he tried to get to Adams’s cross, but Hallett was still able to hit a firm volley, which Philpott parried wide for another corner. This time, the delivery carried to the far side where Read collected and drove it back across. The ball was stabbed away but only as far as Rendell, who tried to bend it into the top-right corner, the effort flying a little too high.
There was a spikiness to the game deserving of two local rivals, with challenges both fair and foul flying in all over the pitch. When the considerable frame of Silvano Obeng received possession with his back to goal inside the AFC Totton penalty area, he appeared to be well-marshalled by two Stags defenders, until Baughan made contact with the former Brockenhurst forward’s foot, sending him crumbling to the deck. When the Referee blew his whistle, several observers in the stands - including this one - thought he had awarded a free-kick for diving, only to then see the teams setting up for a Winchester City penalty. Warren BENTLEY confidently despatched his shot to the goalkeeper’s left, mid-way up the post, ensuring the Citizens went into the half-time break with their two-goal lead restored.
HALF-TIME
AFC TOTTON 1
WINCHESTER CITY 3
Both teams remained unchanged for the start of the second half. Totton began it on the front foot, with Michael Green taking aim from long-range after Taylor’s progress was blocked on the edge of the area, the Stags’ left-back pulling a save out of Philpott low to his right-hand post. And the keeper did well to claim a high cross from Carter with Rendell among the blue shirts hovering around him, looking to head for goal.
Green then had to clear the ball over his own crossbar to prevent a Winchester forward shooting from the D. Totton defended the corner but soon found themselves pressed back again when Rendell dwelt on the ball in the opposition’s half only to have his pocket picked, the Citizens sweeping forward at pace before Bertie ballooned his effort over the bar. Then, Obeng had the ball in the hosts’ net but was ruled offside.
Oyebamiji almost got in when Philpott was deceived by the bounce of the ball, but the keeper was able to grab it at the third attempt before the former Forest Green Rovers academy striker could dart around him to convert what would have been an open goal.
Obeng’s hold-up play was posing problems for Medway and Hallett, and the forward was able to create an opening for Hill to double his tally for the afternoon from just inside the Totton box, but Lloyd Thomas was equal to it.
On 57 minutes, the Stags got themselves back into the game. Taylor took the ball near the half-way line and glided past three players before being body-checked to the ground, before he could release the marauding Freddie Read who was charging forward into a wide open space in the inside-left. With blue shirts loaded into the Winchester penalty area, Green sent a high, in-swinging free-kick into the box where Luke HALLETT leapt highest to head past Philpott from close to the penalty spot.
HEADS-UP: Luke Hallett reduces the deficit with a headed goal from Green’s cross.
Jimmy Ball then sent on some fresh legs with the introduction of Lewis Waterfield and Brenno Narezzi, in place of Ethan Taylor and Jake Adams.
The next moment of note was almost a carbon copy of the last goal. Again, it was a free-kick from deep on the right which Green swung into the area. This time, it was Scott Rendell who got his head to the ball. With his back to goal from near the penalty spot, he almost flicked it over his own right shoulder to lift the ball over Philpott and against the front of the crossbar - the second time Totton hit the woodwork in this game.
A quick one-touch passing move involving four Totton players shifted the ball through midfield to where Narezzi was able to play Read in to bear down on the keeper. His shot was blocked Oyebamiji dragged his follow-up effort wide to the left.
Michael Green then came off to be replaced by Jordan Ragguette, while Winchester made several changes of their own.
Ragguette’s first contribution to the game was almost an embarrassing one when his under-hit back-pass forced his goalkeeper, Lloyd Thomas to make a centre-back’s tackle to prevent a Winchester forward nicking the ball past him with a wide open space between him and the goal. Thomas put in a firm challenge and spared his teammate’s blushes.
YOUNG BUCK: Midfielder Brenno Narezzi takes on the Winchester defence.
Narezzi was keen to get on the ball in and around the No.10 area. His cross from the right was only partially headed away but Carter struggled to wrap his foot around the half-chance and sent it flying over the top. Carter is more comfortable winning the ball on the ground and he did so to good effect inside his own half before feeding Rendell in an advanced position, from where he tried to play in Read - ever the willing runner from midfield - but the pass was fractionally out of reach.
Totton were again enjoying long periods of possession, moving the ball around in the attacking half with confidence without creating a meaningful chance on the Winchester goal. Carter was vocal from the base of the Stags’ midfield, directing operations and offering himself as an option whenever teammates were closed down by red-and-black shirts, as the home side tried to bring their attack-minded full-backs into the game in an attempt to overload their opposition.
With both sides continuing to make substitutions at numerous intervals throughout the second half, the game became disjointed in the manner that befalls many a meaningless England international friendly. But there were still pockets of good football amongst the chopping and changing, as well as the sight of Mike Carter slide tackling the ball over the crossbar from 20 yards.
JIREH OYEBAMIJI: So good, they named him twice - JJ attacks the box.
A quickly-taken free-kick from the left-hand side in the 77th minute reached Callum Baughan on the opposite flank. His whipped cross was headed behind for a corner. Substitute forward Enrique Russell took it from the left, sending in a high bending cross that Adam Tomasso was well-positioned to head at goal before the defender in front of him nudged it out of his reach. Then, Russell came close with a header of his own, after another period of impressive one-touch passing through the midfield succeeded in getting Yemi Odubade in possession near the left-wing byline, from where he laid the ball back for Ragguette to deliver to the centre, Russell jumping high to make the aerial connection but sending the ball over the bar.
Russell continued to make an impact on the game in the last five minutes, hassling Winchester players in possession of the ball in front of the Totton dug-out. The Bermudian striker was being eagerly encouraged by Jimmy Ball until he then incurred the wrath of his manager by committing an unnecessary foul to give Winchester the chance to slow things down and take a breather, while they laboured over the taking of their free-kick.
Totton kept probing for an equaliser and the substitute Winchester keeper had to be alert to stop a Lewis Waterfield drive from 25 yards after an attempted cross was repelled into a central area. But it was Winchester who had the last effort on goal when Read lost the ball to Warren Bentley, whose tired effort drifted over the bar, prompting the Referee to call time on proceedings.
After the match, Jimmy Ball said:
“Overall, I’m pleased with the way things are coming together. As I’ve said throughout, pre-season results are not important, it’s more about seeing certain things develop in our game, and I think you saw out there today that we had a lot of possession and moved the ball very well at times to open them up. We shipped some simple goals, which we’re obviously going to have to stop doing, and we need to start tapping in those tap-ins. But we’re getting there.
“It’s still three weeks until the start of the season and I’m OK with where we are. If we were ready to go now, then I’d be worried - we need to peak for the competitive games, not the friendlies - but I thought we were on top for large periods, today.”
NEXT UP: AFC Totton vs Aldershot Town on Tuesday, Kick-Off at 7:30pm
View AFC Totton’s fixture list for the 2022/23 season
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
