AFC Totton
10-MAN STAGS HAVE TO SETTLE FOR A POINT AT SUPERMARINE
AFC TOTTON TOOK A POINT back to Hampshire after a hard-fought battle with Swindon Supermarine at the Webbswood Stadium.
The game started with Michael Elias-Fernandes hitting the post from a free-kick in the 8th minute, after it managed to get through the wall and Ryan Gosney was happy to see it come off the woodwork.
However, three minutes later Supermarine got their goal, Ioan RICHARDS with a header from a short corner routine, that looped over the backtracking Gosney to put the hosts one-up.
The Stags levelled in the 17th minute, when Ben Seymour pulled the ball back to Charlie AUSTIN and he smashed it home at the near post.
Totton threatened with several balls played over the top for Seymour and Tom Blair to run onto, but a lack of consistent final third decision-making killed any momentum.
After half-time, The Stags switched on to Swindon's gameplan and started to win the ball high up the pitch against the home team's ball-playing defenders but goalscoring chances remained few and far between.
In the 55th minute, Totton left-back Ben Jefford received a second yellow card for a late challange and was duly sent off, reducing The Stags to 10 men. The dismissal halted the visitors' bright first 10 minutes of pressing, forcing Jimmy Ball's men to retreat and allow Swindon to find pockets of space to move into and advance with precise passing.
A heart-in-mouth moment came for The Stags in the 80th minute, when a low ball into the corridor of uncertainty from Marine's right flank forced Sam Magri and Gosney to collide, with the ball ricocheting off Totton's No.6 to bounce across the open goalmouth and skim the outside of the far post.
Totton had several set-pieces with which to find their big men in the box and potentially nick a late winner, but the quality of deliveries was lacking.
Supermarine had the biggest chance of the game two minutes into stoppage time. The ball was pulled back to Oliver Mahew and from adjacent with the penalty spot; Gosney got enough on the shot to slow its progress towards goal and Magri hacked the ball clear before it could cross the line, ensuring the points were shared.
Full-Time: SWINDON SUPERMARINE 1-1 AFC TOTTON
AFC TOTTON XI: 13. Ryan Gosney, 2. Joe Oastler, 3. Ben Jefford, 5. Charlie Kennedy, 6. Sam Magri, 7. Ben Seymour (Tony Lee 60’), 8. Adam Tomasso, 11. Charlie Austin (Scott Rendell 60’), 14. Craig Tanner (Luke Hallett 84’), 15. Roddy Collins (Mike Carter 75’), & 19. Tom Blair (Luke Bennett 57’).
Attendance: 406
Entertainment Value: 3/5
Stags Star Man: Ben SEYMOUR (AFC Totton)
Author: Joshua Cole
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