AFC Totton
SECOND-BEST STAGS OVERRUN BY WHITE HORSE MEN IN FA CUP UPSET
AFC TOTTON’S 2024/25 FA CUP ADVENTURE was ended almost as soon as it had begun with a surprise defeat by Southern League Division One South side Westbury United at The White Horse Men’s Platinum Hyuandai Park in Wiltshire.
The Stags started the game in confident mood, bossing possession of the football for much of the first half, although it was the home side who created the first real opening of the cup-tie when Marcel Lewis turned onto his right from the left flank and picked out Joe Beardwell whose downward header was pushed wide by Goud at full-stretch.
Taylor and Owers were linking well down the Totton left, with the latter making darting runs into the channel, and Westbury Goalkeeper Jonny Hill had to parry an Owers shot wide of his right-hand post to prevent Totton taking the lead.
Totton came within a whisker of opening the scoring when Hallett’s pass was controlled by Rose on his chest, as he advanced to inside-right. He hooked the ball into the middle where Rendell teed up Owers, whose shot smacked the right-hand post before Westbury scrambled it clear. Then, Taylor controlled Hallett’s long diagonal and crossed to Daws, whose right-foot volley struck a defender.
But just as Totton appeared to be gaining the upper hand, Westbury midfielder Aaron Witchell picked up possession to the right of the halfway line and set off a diagonal run that saw him glide past three Totton players. He advanced to about 25 yards from the Totton goal before slipping the ball to the right of the D, where Bevan CROSS had the time and space to pick his spot and fire The White Horse Men into the lead.
Within a minute, Ethan Taylor flashed a low cross into Westbury’s six-yard box from the left but it eluded both Rendell and Austin. And then Daws had an inswinging corner headed off the goal line, leaving the home side’s lead in tact at the break.
Totton came out fighting but they were almost undone on the counter-attack when Lewis and Cross combined to put Beardwell in at the left post. At too tight an angle to shoot, he pulled the ball back towards the penalty spot where Hallett managed to stab clear. Then, Westbury captain Ryan Bole drove a free-kick directly at Gould.
A moment of confusion between Rose and Gould resulted in an unnecessary corner on the home side’s left. And Totton were made to pay the price when an inswinging cross from Westbury’s Will TAYLOR deceived Gould and flew into the net.
Jimmy Ball withdrew defender Sam Magri in favour of another striker in Tony Lee. But the home side could smell blood and earned themselves another corner when Charlie Walton’s shot was parried behind by Gould. The corner was taken quickly and by the time The Stags’ defence were alert to the danger, Marcel LEWIS had already drifted into the box from the left-hand side and poked an early shot past the stranded Gould.
Totton tried to throw the kitchen sink at Westbury in an attempt to save their own FA Cup lives. But the home side were content to adopt a resolute basketball-like defence of their own penalty area; happy for The Stags to occupy the ball in wide areas, safe in the knowledge they could deal with the vast majority of anything delivered in the air. For their part, while they always looked comfortable on the ball, Totton lacked the creative spark to produce any kind of threat through the middle of the pitch.
Hallett steered an effort wide to the right from McIntosh’s deflected cross. Then, Blair got in behind Bole to raid from the Totton right, cutting infield to shoot left-footed. The ball hit ‘keeper Hill and bounced behind him before a covering defender cleared.
Scott RENDELL pulled one goal back with five minutes to go, stooping to head the ball into the far corner from McIntosh’s high, right-wing cross.
Lee got up well but headed wide from Hallett’s cross from deep on the right. And Lee went close again, pulling an impressive save from Hill to shovel the ball over the bar. Totton continued to press, but Westbury emerged as deserved winners.
Final Score: WESTBURY UNITED 3-1 AFC TOTTON
Attendance: Unknown
Man of the Match: Joe OASTLER
Entertainment Value: 2/5
Author: Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Sayers Sports Photography
