AFC Totton
Photo courtesy of Ben Cole
By Jack Noyce
The Stags lose 2-0 at home to Ebbsfleet as the game was overshadowed by nasty injury to the Ebbsfleet goalkeeper.
Goals from Finlay Barnes and Gene Kennedy gave the visitors all three points, despite a stellar Matt Hall performance.
However, the game was temporarily halted after a challenge from Ash Clarke on Ebbsfleet 'keeper, Gio Bellagambi, that left Bellagambi screaming in agony.
This caused the referee to show Clarke a straight red and send both teams down the tunnel as Bellagambi received necessary treatment and was lifted onto a stretcher.
The Stags sit 5th, with two games in hand and a trip to Worthing awaiting on Tuesday night.
Before all the drama, the Stags were putting the pressure on Ebbsfleet’s defence with old-fashioned long balls.
Christos Batzelis did extremely well to compete with an energetic Charlie Seamen from start to finish.
The visitors took the lead on the 10-minute mark as a delicate through ball from Josh Coley found Finlay Barnes who slotted past Matt Hall.
Hall between the sticks had a very busy afternoon, with his first save coming from a brilliant diving stop as Barnes demonstrated more composure.
Two minutes later the Snows Stadium fell silent after Clarke clipped Bellagambi and was shown a straight red due to the severity of the injury.
After a delay of approximately 18 minutes, the home fans began chanting Bellagambi’s name as he was stretchered off, displaying class and sportsmanship.
A Seamen challenge on Batzelis signified the tension after the injury, as the two full backs kept getting in each other’s faces.
The interval came with Ebbsfleet leading 1-0 after ‘45+18.
The Stags kept pressing in the second half despite being a man down, with a long-range effort from Luke Hallett testing the waters.
Batzelis was relentless down the left-hand side, earning a corner in the 52nd minute; his cross found the head of Ward but it was sent well wide.
Christos was threatening once again, cutting back to Ward which forced a full-stretch save from Watford loanee, Jonathan Macaulay.
Hall’s best save of the game came in the 66th minute as he tipped a close-range effort onto the bar.
The away side doubled their lead not long after, as Gene Kennedy walked through a wide-open defence and slipped it past Hall.
Although being two goals down to lower opposition, the Stags’ passion and determination never wavered.
For the remainder of the contest, the Ebbsfleet defence stood their ground; Declan Rose won a free kick from 24 yards out, but Craig Tanner couldn’t keep his shot down.
The final shot of the game fell Ebbsfleet’s way as it was saved acrobatically by a stubborn Matt Hall.
The full-time whistle came, and there was mutual respect between the two sides due to the events that took place in the first half.
AFC Totton XI: 24. Matt Hall, 2. Joe Oastler (C), 3. Brandon Haunstrup (Malachi Linton 60'), 5. Luke Hallett, 7. Ash Clarke, 8. Lee Hodson (Ralph Vigrass 74'), 10. Tony Lee (Luke Bennett 80'), 19. Christie Ward, 20. Ryan Jackson (Declan Rose 70'), 21. Christos Batzelis, & 27. Craig Tanner.
Unused subs: 1. Max Evans, 4. Mike Carter & Scott Rendell
Attendance: 1,330
GO STAGS
