AFC Totton
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THIS YEAR’S LINDEN CUP MATCH – the annual pre-season derby encounter between Totton’s two premier football teams – will, unusually, be The Millers’ first run-out on their own Miller Park pitch of the current pre-season campaign, while Jimmy Ball’s “visitors” will be gracing the soon-to-be replaced turf for the third time this month.
The Stags have already beaten Baffins Milton Rovers and Volta Sports in their first two friendlies, while their own newly-laid grass pitch at the Snows Stadium beds in ahead of the new season. Meanwhile, Ben Hillman took his team to Christchurch on the first day of the month before splitting his currently large squad of T&E hopefuls in two to enable The Millers to play additional away games both on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.
Jack Nickles scored what proved to be a mere consolation goal for The Millers as Christchurch struck half-a-dozen goals without further reply to run-out 6-1 winners at the Ringwood Community Hub on 01 July. Then, this past Friday evening, Portsmouth-based outfit Moneyfields, who finished fifth in the Wessex League Premier Division last season (five places above Christchurch), were held to a goalless first half at The Front Lawn. Callum Laycock broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when he headed home Turnbull’s right-wing corner to put Moneys in front. And the home side went further ahead when one trialist’s shot was parried for another to convert the rebound. T&E pulled a goal back with a well-taken back-post header from the former AFC Totton Sunday and Blackfield & Langley forward Josh Carey on 77 minutes, but the visitors were unable to muster an equaliser before the end.
On Saturday, Brett Stanley opened the scoring at Colden Common’s Oakwood Park ground shortly before the half-time break. Sam Shearer added the second as Totton & Eling won 2-1 against last season’s Hampshire Premier League Senior Division Champions, despite a reply from Aiden Scott for The Commoners and an outstanding display from their goalkeeper Josh Loveridge.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Miller Park will host the Linden Cup match between Totton & Eling and AFC Totton on Wednesday 12 July 2023.
While AFC Totton must wait until Friday 14 July for the publication of their new season fixtures, The Millers already know that they will be kicking off the 2023/24 campaign at Cove FC on Saturday 05 August. The match will be the first of eight consecutive away games for Totton & Eling while their ground undergoes a revolutionary refit with the installation of a brand new 4G pitch, which will bring administrative and commercial benefits to both the Totton clubs.
Cove, who are based in the Farnborough area in the North Eastern corner of Hampshire, have been transferred into the Wessex League Division One after finishing 16th in the Combined Counties League Division One table last season. They finished bottom of that division in 2018/19 but were granted a reprieve from relegation following the league’s decision to promote runners-up Frimley Green into the Premier Division.
Before the end of August, T&E will have also visited Verwood Town, Whitchurch United, Newport IOW and Folland Sports in the Wessex League Division One, as well as Premier Division Portland United in the opening round of the Wessex League Cup on Tuesday 29 August. Their first scheduled home match of the new season is against Ringwood Town on Wednesday 13 September.
Totton & Eling’s full 2023/24 fixture list is published in the current issue of the AFC Totton Matchday Programme, which will be available to buy at Wednesday’s match. Once AFC Totton’s own fixtures are known, some matches will be subject to rescheduling to avoid having both teams play at home on the same day – so, keep an eye on the AFC Totton programme and T&E’s own publication, and their social media channels to stay fully up-to-date.
Totton & Eling Manager Ben Hillman is joined this season by a number of new additions to his management team, as The Millers go in search of the Step 6 title and promotion into the Wessex League Premier Division. Former Lymington Town boss Dave Lewis has been installed as Director of Football, while his former Lymo Assistant Manager Ryan Ship has also made the short trip across the New Forest to join an expanded T&E management team. Hillman’s right-hand man Tom Ridley, who – like Ship – is 29 years-old, remains in place, and they are joined by the ambitious manager of the all-conquering AFC Totton Sunday team of the 2021/22 season, Sam Conway.
“This is a bold move by the club and demonstrates the determination we all share to make Totton & Eling FC successful,” stated Hillman. “We’re all keen to get the season started and to mounting a serious challenge for the Wessex League Division One title.”
To help them in their preparations, and to enable them to whittle down a squad that at one point numbered 45 players, they have a few more pre-season games to play:
Saturday 15 July - Whitehill & Bordon (a)
Saturday 22 July - Stockbridge (a)
Tuesday 25 July - Fareham Town (a)
Saturday 29 July - Blackfield & Langley (a)
Last summer’s Linden Cup match was played on the Snows Stadium turf, when AFC Totton were comfortable 8-1 winners. Jireh Oyebamiji and Brett Williams scored two goals each; Freddie Read, Jake Adams, Scott Rendell and Adam Tomasso completed the scoring for The Stags. Bermudian international forward Enrique Russell registered a consolation goal for the men in red-and-black.
Buy your tickets online, today.
By Ben Rochey-Adams
