AFC Totton
Stags stunned by late blow
Attendance – 270 By Talia Jones
JAMES Stokoe snatched the winning goal for Wimborne Town in a thrilling ending to the match at the Testwood Stadium, leaving AFC Totton with a 2-1 defeat in their final home game of the season.
Wimborne had the first main chance of the game, calling Mowthorpe into action in the 13th minute – first Stokoe’s stinging shot was parried by the Stags goalkeeper, then Billy Maybury’s effort from the rebound landed safely in his gloves.
But Totton countered quickly, and Dylan Knight’s long range shot left Wimborne’s on loan keeper, Patrick O’Flaherty, breathing a sigh of relief watching his fingertip save go just over the bar.
Knight had another brilliant chance with the goal gaping wide, but was inches away from connecting onto Nick Watts’ in-swinging cross half way through the first half.
Wimborne started to turn the screw on the Totton defence on the half hour mark with two glorious misses from Mark Ford. His first was an impressive low save from the diving Mowthorpe, and then was one-on-one with the Stags keeper, but couldn’t keep his cool to slot it over the line.
At the other end, Mike Gosney released Mark Lilley down the line but his shot was once again saved by the immovable 6” 5’ figure of O’Flaherty, who would go in with a clean sheet at the half time whistle.
The away side struck first in the 58th minute – Ryan Murray’s cross found the late run from Stokoe who headed the ball past a flying Mowthorpe.
Totton were unlucky not to equalise ten minutes later, as Knight was in the thick of it once more. His dominating run into the box caught O’Flaherty in two minds, and headed the ball over the line, but the linesman had already flagged for offside.
Lilley nearly opened the Stags account after a floating cross from Gosney, but his header under pressure was millimetres over the top left hand corner of the net.
Gosney thought he had secured a crucial point for Totton, scoring a stunning strike from distance with a minute of normal time remaining, after Dave Allen had back-heeled him into play, but the home side switched off with moments to go.
And in the third minute of extra time, Mowthorpe made a brilliant save, but couldn’t do anything about the rebound as Stokoe bundled it over the line to snatch the three points.
Totton may have felt disheartened after the final whistle but they still have the final game at Mangotsfield to end their season on a high and complete manager, Steve Hollick’s first full season in charge.
Totton starting line-up: Mowthorpe, Alexander, Hunt, Williams, Allen, Wilson, Watts, Burgess, Knight*, Lilley**, Gosney.
Substitutes: Oliver, Silvestre, Hibberd, New*, Stuttard**.
