AFC Totton
By Declan West
AFC Totton marked their return to the Snows Stadium with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Hampton & Richmond Borough.
The visitors snatched the lead against the run of play when Reece Grego-Cox finished off a break-neck counter despite initial Stags dominance.
Ashley Clarke drew the home side level with a sublime curled strike into the top corner from Tony Lee’s hooked through-ball.
Totton started strongly with Mike Carter, Christie Ward and Lee all fashioning early attempts at goal to give H&R a wake-up call.
Jacob Towns received a booking inside ten-minutes for a challenge from behind just inside the Totton defensive half.
A minute later, the visitors were lucky to have 11 men on the pitch after a clear last-man foul from Eduino Vaz on Ward somehow only warranted a yellow card.
Tyler Cordner prodded a stooping header just wide from Brandon Haunstrup’s delivery after Clarke won a free kick in a promising area outside the 18-yard box.
The Beavers broke the deadlock in the 27th minute from a rapid counter-attack; Grego-Cox slotting home from Taylor Clark’s incisive through ball.
Haunstrup was forced off on the half-hour mark after a heavy collision with Paul Field to cap off a torrid five minutes for the Stags.
Clarke then equalised in the 33rd minute when he placed a beautiful effort past an onrushing Marcus Dewhurst to reignite Totton’s fight.
Ryan Gosney received two quickfire let-offs before the break when Vaz’s tame shot was spilled behind, and the attempt from the resulting corner trickled inches wide.
The Stags faithful let referee Tom Ellsmore know their thoughts as the teams trudged in for half-time, still seething that 22 players remained on the pitch.
Max Kretzchmar rippled the side-netting six minutes into the second half as H&R emerged from the interval rejuvenated.
Christos Batzelis required treatment after a naughty challenge from Harry Thomas put pay to a blues breakaway, signalling both players’ final contributions to the game.
Jimmy Ball could only puff his cheeks in anger in the dugout at yet another favourable decision for the visitors.
Ellsmore again made himself no friends as Carter received a harsh yellow to add to the home gaffer’s grief.
Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half, but few clear cut chances were created and the game trickled to a disappointing stalemate.
The draw means Totton remain 15th in the National League South, though a string of postponed matches means they still have games in hand on their rivals above them.
AFC Totton XI: 13. Ryan Gosney, 3. Brandon Haunstrup (Dan O’Connor, 30’), 4. Mike Carter © (Ralph Vigrass, 86’), 5. Luke Hallett, 7. Ash Clarke, 10. Tony Lee, 17. Dec Rose, 19. Christie Ward, 21. Christo Batzelis (Craig Tanner, 57’), 26. Tyler Cordner, 28. Jacob Towns (Malachi Linton, 40’)
Attendance: 1,263
G0 STAGS
