AFC Totton
SAVE MONEY by purchasing match tickets online in advance.
Online ticket prices: Adults £12.00; Concessions £8.00; Under-13s £5.00
(Season tickets do not apply to cup-ties)
AFC TOTTON WILL HOST AFC Bournemouth in the Semi-Finals of the 2023/24 edition of the Servio Hampshire Senior Cup on Monday 11 March.
The Stags, who last reached the Semi-Finals in 2021/22, began this year's campaign with a perhaps tighter than expected 2-1 win in their Second Round tie at North Hampshire-based Isthmian League South Central Division side Hartley Wintney on Tuesday 12 September. Alfie Stanley and one-time Barnsley midfielder Jordan Helliwell scored the goals, either side of an impressive equalising strike by Isaiah Blankendal.
Wessex League Division One promotion chasers East Cowes Victoria Athletic were put to the sword in Round Three at the Snows Stadium on Wednesday 15 November. Young midfielder Owen Pelham notched his first two senior goals for the club, with Alfie Stanley (two), skipper for the night Charlie Kennedy, Jordan Chiedozie and Joe Turner weighing in to secure a comfortable 7-0 victory.
In the Quarter-Final, the visitors were the Royal Navy FA XI. Former Hamworthy United centre-forward Remus Nixon's first AFC Totton goal got the ball rolling for The Stags, before Leon Maloney added two - the first from the penalty spot - either side of an Ethan Taylor header. Central defender Luke Hallett completed the scoring in a 5-0 success.
The Cherries' Development Squad, who also received a bye in the First Round, thrashed Portsmouth-based side Moneyfields 5-0 in the Second Round, before defeating Havant & Waterlooville 4-1 at Westleigh Park in the Third Round. They scored four goals again in the Quarter-Final to progress beyond Totton's upcoming SDFA Southampton Senior Cup Quarter-Final opponents Folland Sports, defeating The Planemakers 4-0.
This season's other Semi-Final is between AFC Portchester of the Wessex League Premier Division and Southampton's U21s.
AFC Bournemouth's matchday squad could include midfielder Ben Winterburn (pictured above), who started six times and came off the bench twice while on loan with The Stags earlier this season. His starts included all four of AFC Totton's ties in the Emirates FA Cup, including the 5-1 home win over Sholing in First Round Qualifiying and the subsequent 3-0 success at National League North outfit Gloucester City.
Totton have won the Hampshire Senior Cup on two occasions, with back-to-back triumphs over Aldershot Town at Bournemouth's Dean Court ground in 2010 and Sholing at St. Mary's Stadium in 2011. A defeat by Eastleigh in the 2012 Final, also at St. Mary's, prevented The Stags making it three-in-a-row.
AFC Bournemouth can boast four successes in the competition to date, the first of which came in 1924 when the club was known as Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic. In 1959, Bournemouth & Boscombe 'A' triumphed on home turf by beating their Portsmouth counterparts by a single goal in extra-time. The Cherries' third Hampshire Senior Cup title was also sealed at Dean Court with their 1989 victory over Basingstoke Town by the odd goal in three.
Their most recent success came at the Snows Stadium as recently as 2020, when goalkeeper Mark Travers was the hero of the hour. With his side trailing in stoppage time, despite his earlier save from an Eastleigh penalty, the Republic of Ireland international shot-stopper went forward for a last-gasp corner and headed his team level, before going on to make another crucial save in the penalty shoot-out to ensure AFC Bournemouth emerged triumphant.
The Cup Final marked the first time that Solent University Sports Broadcasting graduates Doug Taxil-Webber and Benjy Rees commentated on a live match at the Snows Stadium... and that was how StagsRadio was born.
AFC Totton vs AFC Bournemouth in the Servio Hampshire Senior Cup Semi-Final takes place at the Snows Stadium, Totton (SO40 2RW) on Monday 11 March. Kick-off will be at 7:45pm.
Parking immediately outside Snows Stadium is limited; FREE parking is available on the nearby Calmore Industrial Estate, which is just a short walk from the ground. Aim your SatNavs for Brunel Road, Totton SO40 3SA; the car parks outside Graham Plumbers' Merchants and BestAutos are both available and will still be open after the match.
SAVE MONEY by purchasing match tickets online in advance.
Online ticket prices: Adults £12.00; Concessions £8.00; Under-13s £5.00
(Season tickets do not apply to cup-ties)
LIVE Commentary on StagsRadio via X (Twitter).
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
