AFC Totton
STAGS THUMP TEAM SOLENT AS PRE-SEASON CONTINUES
AFC Totton had their second outing of pre-season this evening, with a visit to 2014/15 Wessex Div 1 Champions Team Solent. Manager Steve Hollick brought along a squad of 15, with the Weymouth tournament on the horizon, the following day.
The Stags immediately had the better of the play and after just 3 minutes, Mike Gosney and Nathaniel Sherborne combined to allow Jake Burgess the chance to shoot, his effort struck the outside of the post. However, Totton weren’t to be denied and after 13 minutes, Gosney raced to the byline and cut back for SHERBORNE, who scored from close range. The Stags were having most of the play and on the half hour mark, it showed. Craig Feeney advanced towards the Solent defence, who seemed to back off, allowing FEENEY the time and space to shoot and score with a low driven shot from the edge of the area. HT 0-2
The second half was something of a goal glut and it started with Solent trying to get a foothold in the game, but offering no real goal threat. The Stags added their 3rd just after the hour mark when Jake Rawkins ran at the heart of the defence, before poking the ball to Sherborne, who then squared it for Mark LILLEY, who fired into the roof of the net. This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Solent, as just 2 minutes later, Gosney picked up on a loose ball, proceeded to run at the defence, who again, allowed GOSNEY to get a shot away – and he drilled home past the keeper at the near post. By now, The Stags were playing comfortably and after 74 minutes, Chris Manning won the ball in midfield, before playing in Sherborne down the right hand side, who played a delicious ball across goal and was met by the arriving Jake RAWKINS, who calmly directed the ball into the corner of the net, scoring his 1st senior goal for the club and making it 5-0 to The Stags. Credit to Team Solent, who kept going and earned themselves a consolation goal as WATERIDGE was given the opportunity to shoot and there was nothing Mowthorpe could do as he rifled into the side netting. However, any Solent joy was short lived as The Stags went straight down the other end and scored. This time, Manning played in SHERBORNE, who fired in low at the near post. Just a few minutes later, ‘Sherbs’ completed his hat-trick, with perhaps, the best of the bunch. Lilley gave the ball to SHERBORNE, who looked up and curled a lovely effort beyond the keeper and into the far right hand corner of the goal. Totton then added their 8th goal of the evening as Mark Lilley was taken down in the area and Mike GOSNEY stepped up and converted the spot kick. FT 1-8
It was of course a great evening for Stags supporters, seeing their team score 8 goals. But of course, this game was a pre-season friendly and the score line perhaps shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
By Adi Rose at Test Park
Attendance – Approx. 70
Stags Lineup: Mowthorpe, Hibberd, *Smith, Roden, Williams, Allen, Burgess, Edwards, Sherborne, Gosney, Feeney.
Subs: *Ferguson, Rawkins, Lilley, Burch, Manning.
(*denotes trialist)
