AFC Totton
STAGS STRIKE THREE TO COMPLETE LEAGUE DOUBLE OVER THE CRUSADERS
IT WAS THREE OF THE BEST for The Stags, as they scored three and picked up all three points on a sunny afternoon at Bulpit Lane.
Totton came into the game off the back of a mixed run of results in March, and lined up with an aggessive three up-front formation, with three central defenders and pace on the wings.
A scrappy opening 15 minutes - not aided by a hard, uneven playing surface and the sun shining into the eyes of the players - produced little by way of goalmouth action, until Luke Bennett’s tenacity to win the ball in an advanced position on the right-hand side and deliver an inch-perfect cross towards the back post enabled the unmarked Charlie AUSTIN to smash home on the volley.
The second goal came just nine minutes later when Ethan Taylor battled to win possession against two defenders on the wing before carrying the ball into the left side of the penalty area and passing back to Lee, who sidestepped his marker and chipped towards the back post. Bennett arriving to shoot on the volley, his effort striking a defender and falling to Scott RENDELL who swept the ball home from six yards.
The Crusaders had a chance to get one back almost instantly. Kyle Tooze sprung the offside trap to bare down on goal at inside-right and tried to slip it past Ryan Gosney, but the Totton goalkeeper's star jump successfully diverted the ball wide of the near post.
Totton's third goal came 10 minutes into the second half. Austin snuck in behind Hungerford's defensive line and drew a foul from Matt Berry-Hargreaves, who was shown the yellow card, resulting in a free-kick 25 yards out, left of centre. Tony LEE stepped up to strike a stunning, curling shot around the defensive wall and into the bottom-right corner of the goal, despite goalkeeper Ryan Clarke being positioned on that side.
Hungerford launched the ball forward, desperate to gain a foothold in the game, but Sam Magri, Luke Hallett and Joe Oastler were imperious in the air all afternoon, winning header after header. And when the home side had opportunities to hurl long throws into the heart of the Totton box, Gosney's aerial supremacy was rarely threatened.
Rendell came close to adding a fourth from an Austin-led breakaway that resulted in Taylor receiving possession beyond the far post and centering for the closely-marked No.9 who fired over the bar, but the three points were by then already secure.
AFC Totton: 13. Ryan Gosney; 2. Joe Oastler; 4. Mike Carter © (Charlie Kennedy 78min); 6. Sam Magri; 9. Scott Rendell; 10. Ethan Taylor (Ben Jefford 81min); 11. Charlie Austin (Ben Seymour 62min); 12. Luke Hallett, 15. Roddy Collins, 16. Luke Bennett (Richard McIntyre 58min); 18. Tony Lee (Craig Tanner 90min).
Full-Time: HUNGERFORD TOWN 0-3 AFC TOTTON
Attendance: 620
Star Man: Ethan TAYLOR (AFC Totton)
Entertainment Value: 3/5
Authors: Joshua Cole & Ben Rochey-Adams
