AFC Totton
Today’s meeting between AFC Totton and Paulton Rovers pits the two highest goalscoring teams in the Southern League Div.1 South against one another, with the Stags currently leading the way by the odd goal in 77.
The free-scoring Bristol-based Rovers are 4th in the table, despite 6 defeats in their league campaign to date. They enjoyed a bumper month last month, averaging 4 goals-a-game in all competitions, including a 5-1 home win over Stag-slaying Slimbridge on 24 November and the 7-0 dismantling of Lymington Town at the Sports Ground, three days later.
But they were brought back down to Earth with a thump last weekend by a 0-4 home defeat to play-off position rivals Winchester City – Craig Feeney, once of this parish, with a 6th-minute opener for the Citizens.
Their key threat is striker Leighton Thomas who, with 19 league goals to his name, is the 2nd highest goalscorer in the entire Southern League behind Poole Town’s Tony-James Lee on 24. Thomas began the season as he meant to go on by following a brace to inspire a 4-2 away win at Cinderford Town on the opening day with the hat-trick that secured a 3-2 victory against Willand Rovers in their first home match of the season. He scored all four against Mangotsfield United in another 4-2 away win in early November, and notched his third hat-trick of the season in that thrashing of Lymington.
Rovers have recently strengthened their attacking options with the re-signing of 23-year-old former Yeovil Town striker Jack Ball. He scored 24 goals for Paulton in the 2017/18 season before departing for Melksham Town.
PAULTON ROVERS: LAST 5 MATCHES – All Competitions
Sat 20 Nov 21 Cinderford Town H Southern League Div.1 South W 3-0
Wed 24 Nov 21 Slimbridge H Southern League Div.1 South W 5-1
Sat 27 Nov 21 Lymington Town A Southern League Div.1 South W 7-0
Tue 30 Nov 21 Lymington Town A Southern League Cup D 1-1
(Paulton won 4-3 on penalties)
Sat 04 Dec 21 Winchester City H Southern League Div.1 South L 0-4
AFC TOTTON vs PAULTON ROVERS – Previous Meetings
There have been 14 meetings between these two teams since the 2005/06 season. The Stags have won 7, Rovers have won 3 times and there have been 4 draws.
The biggest win in that sequence was the 2010/11 season 5-1 AFC Totton home win, courtesy of a Michael Charles hat-trick and additional goals from Mike Gosney and Steffen Brown – all three of whom also scored in the famous 8-1 thrashing of Bradford Park Avenue in the FA Cup during the same campaign. The match was also notable for being the Stags’ very first home match in our new stadium, after the move from Testwood Park.
Another memorable encounter was a five-goal thriller in appalling weather conditions at Paulton in March 2010. The 10-men Rovers pegged the Stags back twice to go in level at 2-2 at half-time, before our very own Brett Williams raced clear in the 66th minute to calmly slot the winner for a 3-2 Totton win.
Written by Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Historian
Kit images used courtesy of Bolid74
