TOTTON WIN THE BATTLE OF THE BLUES IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE

AFC TOTTON PILED ON THE MISERY for bottom-of-the-table club Marlow with a two-nil away win in Buckinghamshire on Saturday (02 November 2024) in the Southern League Premier Division South. Another brace from Tony Lee took his tally for the season into double figures and put The Stags in control of the contest by half-time. The home side were unable to find the cutting edge required to get back into the game, as Totton extended their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions.

Despite a bobbly, uneven playing surface, the visitors wasted no time in taking the lead when a Marlow defender slipped in his own penalty area under pressure from Ethan Taylor to present the ball to the feet of Tony LEE, who advanced towards the six-yard box and fired past goalkeeper Finn Rushton.

Charlie Austin picked up the loose ball after Taylor’s left-wing raid was halted and picked out Adam Tomasso arriving in the box, but a well-timed block smothered the chance. Then, Austin headed wide of the left-hand post from Declan Rose’s deep cross.

Marlow’s Rhys Harper and Naheer Nawaf combined to stretch the Totton defence but Tomasso’s timely intervention kept The Stags’ stable door bolted.

Totton went route one for their second goal. Debutant goalkeeper Ryan Gosney sent a long kick down the centre of the pitch. Lee used his strength to hold off his marker and feed Taylor in the box at inside-left, and the winger unselfishly played a square return pass to enable Tony LEE to steer the ball into the exposed right side of the net.

Lee’s hat-trick hunting eyes lit up when a free-kick was awarded within shooting range, but the striker bent his 25-yard effort high and wide of the top-right corner.

Young striker Connor Bent came on at half-time for his senior AFC Totton debut. Marlow mustered little by way of goal threat, the only tangible weapon in their arsenal being the long throw of right-back Elijah Oladunjoye, whose trebuchet-style deliveries only served to underline the aerial dominance of Totton’s central defensive pairing of Luke Hallett and captain Joe Oastler, with the added support of Charlie Kennedy and the long reach of goalkeeper Gosney’s arms.

Marlow midfielder Joshua Smith fired narrowly wide from distance, after taking up possession near half-way and played a one-two to get within 30 yards of Totton’s goal. When the home side managed to attack the right-wing byline, Oastler’s sliding tackle swiftly snatched the ball back into Totton possession.

The travelling Totton fans had made all the noise throughout the game but there was little of quality on show in the second half. As the pitch deteriorated, so too did the timing of some of the challenges by players on both sides, leading to a flurry of yellow cards. Totton were comfortable with their two-goal advantage; Gosney saved comfortably when a left-wing Marlow attack led to an angled shot from within the box on The Blues’ right. A free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of Totton’s area was harmlessly punted into the car park behind the goal.

There was a late cameo appearance for young midfielder Owen Pelham. Taylor had a right-footed effort blocked in the Marlow penalty area, after good work from Lee to pull back from the byline from a right-wing throw-in. The home side forced several corners and throw-ins in advanced positions near the end of the game, but could not penetrate the Totton defence.

Full-Time: MARLOW 0-2 AFC TOTTON

Attendace: 271
Star Man: Tony LEE (AFC Totton)
Entertainment Value: 2/5
Author: Ben Rochey-Adams