AFC Totton
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH | Matchday#07
Tuesday 10 September 2024 | Snows Stadium, Totton SO40 2RW | Att: 1,244
STAGS STAMP THEIR AUTHORITY OVER WIMBORNE TO RETAKE TOP SPOT
AFC TOTTON 4
Tony Lee 22mins, 66mins;
Charlie Austin 26mins; Tom Blair 58mins
WIMBORNE TOWN 0
AFC TOTTON RECLAIMED top spot in the Southern League Premier Division South table with a comfortable home win over Wimborne Town at the Snows Stadium on Tuesday night (10 September 2024).
A brace from Tony Lee, against one of his former clubs, came either side of Charlie Austin’s second goal in as many games and a Tom Blair stunner that saw The Stags safely to all three points and a return to the Step 3 summit in light of Walton & Hersham’s draw at home to Hanwell Town.
Jimmy Ball made only one change to the side that drew with Basingstoke Town on Saturday, with Adam Tomasso returning to the midfield and Josh Owers dropping to the bench.
Wimborne’s starting line-up contained three former AFC Totton players in Ben Scorey, Joshua Carmichael and Matty Burrows, plus Sam Roberts on the substitutes’ bench.
AFC TOTTON: 13. Joshua GOULD; 2. Joe OASTLER; 5. Charlie KENNEDY; 6. Sam MAGRI; 8. Adam TOMASSO; 9. Scott RENDELL (Capt.); 11. Charlie AUSTIN; 12. Luke HALLETT; 17. Declan ROSE; 18. Tony LEE; 19. Tom BLAIR. Substitutes: 7. Harvey REW; 10. Ethan TAYLOR; 14. Joshua OWERS; 16. Luke BENNETT; 20. Marcus DAWS. Substitutions: REW for TOMASSO (70mins); DAWS for RENDELL (70mins); TAYLOR for BLAIR (70mins); OWERS for OASTLER (81mins); BENNETT for AUSTIN (81mins). Yellow Cards: TOMASSO (Foul); LEE (Foul); OASTLER (Foul); KENNEDY (Foul).
WIMBORNE TOWN: 1. Charlie PHILPOT; 12. Ben SCOREY; 3. Sam JACKSON (Capt.); 19. Cameron MUNN; 5. Connor COCKLIN; 6. Harvey WRIGHT; 7. Jez BEDFORD; 20. Joshua CARMICHAEL; 9. William FLETCHER; 10. Matthew NEALE; 11. Matty BURROWS. Substitutes: 4. Scott ARNOLD; 17. Harry BAKER; 8. Harry MORGAN; 15. Sam ROBERTS; 16. Siphesihle MDLALOSE. Substitutions: BAKER for BURROWS (60mins); MORGAN for MUNN (60mins); MDLALOSE for CARMICHAEL (74mins); ARNOLD for COCKLIN (87mins). Yellow Cards: MUNN (Foul); BEDFORD (Foul); MORGAN (Foul); BAKER (Foul).
Totton got the game underway on a rain and windswept evening, wearing their usual home kit of all-Royal blue with white trim. Wimborne wore black-and-white striped shirts with black shorts and socks. It took only 22 seconds for Adam Tomasso to get his name into the referee’s notebook for a foul in an advanced position on the left flank, as he tried to retrieve the ball after The Stags’ first attack broke down.
Tony Lee picked up the ball in the middle and moved it left to Tom Blair, who took a touch and drove an angled left-footed shot for the near bottom corner, forcing goalkeeper Charlie Philpot to push it wide. The former Eastleigh shot-stopper appeared to punch Blair’s subsequent set-piece delivery into his own net but the whistle went for a push on Philpot.
Charlie Austin’s attempted cross-field pass was intercepted but Luke Hallett managed to cut-out a through-ball that would have enabled Wimborne to spring an attack from their left wing. Then, Totton countered and presented another shooting opportunity to Blair from the left. His snapshot was parried by Philpot and Declan Rose couldn’t wrap his leg around the rebound, sending the ball over the bar.
MIDFIELD BATTLEGROUND: Charlie Kennedy (in blue) does battle with Wimborne's former AFC Totton midfielder Josh Carmichael during The Stags' 4-0 victory.
Rose hit an angled pass towards the left-wing byline, where Blair managed to keep the ball in play and hang a cross towards the far post where Scott Rendell was nudged off it by a defender, allowing Philpot to gather. At the other end, a scuffed defensive clearance put Sam Magri under pressure, but he did enough to squeeze the space available to Cameron Munn, forcing a quick shot that Totton ‘keeper Josh Gould dealt with comfortably.
Ex-Totton winger Matty Burrows first made his presence felt when he received possession on Wimborne’s right flank, with space to attack the Totton goal, although he was ushered towards the byline where he had to settle for a corner. It was taken quickly and rolled out to the edge of the area for Josh Carmichael to drive a low shot that a teammate, standing on the six-yard line, back-heeled at goal before Joe Oastler scrambled the ball clear. Totton countered and played Austin in at inside-right, but he stumbled over the defender’s challenge and although he kept his feet and tried to stand a cross up for Rendell at the far post, the Totton No.9’s left-foot volley lacked control and veered high over the bar.
Wimborne sprung forward from a drop-ball in the centre-circle to attack from their left. A low cross into the box reached Burrows beyond the far post, who fed it back into the middle for Jez Bedford to stab at goal. His effort deflected off Magri onto the post and Totton cleared.
Totton attacked again down their left-hand side, with Oastler feeding Blair at the corner of the box to try a first-time curling shot that bent narrowly past the top-right corner of the Wimborne goal.
It proved to be a temporary reprieve for the visitors, though, who fell behind in the 22nd minute. Totton had a throw-in high on the left flank, from which Austin received the ball and tried a trick that didn’t come off. But before the defender could clear his lines, Blair intervened to send the ball across the penalty area. Rose kept it in play at the right-wing byline and pulled back to tee-up Tony LEE; his first shot came back off Philpot’s shin but he made no mistake with the rebound, firing just inside the right-hand post to put The Stags ahead.
LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED: Tony Lee opens the scoring for AFC Totton at home to Wimborne Town in the Southern League Premier Division South match at the Snows Stadium.
A long kick from Gould released Blair to attack from the left side of the Wimborne penalty area again, where he was brought down a fraction before he crossed the white line into the box itself to earn a free-kick in the kind of area that short corners are awarded in field hockey. Blair chipped the ball into the box. Lee jumped for it but was beaten in the air by a defender, and Tomasso’s follow-up shot was charged down at the edge of the box before Lee was booked for a trip while trying to regain possession.
But The Stags maintained their offensive pressure and were rewarded with a second goal in the 26th minute. Bedford had difficulty controlling an up-and-under in the centre-circle and Rendell saw his chance to steal the ball and direct it to Blair on the left, who immediately spotted Rose in space in a deep position at inside-right. The former Poole Town man then played a delightful through-ball into the path of Charlie AUSTIN, who skipped around the advancing Philpot and rolled the ball into the net for his second AFC Totton goal in as many games.
TWO-IN-TWO: Charlie Austin gets on the scoresheet for the second consecutive match.
Magri headed out a left-wing cross as Wimborne tried to find a foothold in the game. Then, Joe Oastler was booked for a late foul on Burrows at the half-way line. Matthew Neale clipped the free-kick from right-to-left, into the Totton area, but it was headed wide for a goal-kick.
Magri intercepted a pass intended to release Ben Scorey. Magri found Oastler and his forward pass was instantly knocked-on by Rendell to put Austin in through the middle. As Philpot came out beyond his penalty spot, the majority of the Snows Stadium crowd were willing the former Saints striker to lob the ‘keeper, but he struck his effort into Philpot’s chest and the chance was gone. Austin’s next chance was a long-range speculative effort that soared high and wide, after receiving Blair’s lay-off.
Another free-kick delivery from Neale was dealt with by Hallett’s header and Tomasso’s follow-up clearance. Then, play had to be stopped to allow Tomasso to receive treatment after he collided with an opponent near the half-way line. Once Tomasso was back on his feet, he swapped passes with Blair on the Totton left to send a cross from deep towards the near post, which was cleared.
Hallett got up well to head Philpot’s goal-kick back to where it had come from, and he almost put Lee in for a run on goal but for an awkward bounce, shortly before the half-time whistle sounded.
HALF-TIME: AFC TOTTON 2-0 WIMBORNE TOWN
Wimborne got the game back underway, with neither side having made any changes during the break. Harvey Wright tried to bring the ball down on his chest near the touchline, in front of the Totton dug-out. Lee stole the ball off him, then bustled his way into the box at inside-right before squeezing a shot between two covering defenders and narrowly wide of the far post.
Munn had a brief sight of the Totton goal, until Hallett got across to block out the light and take the ball away. Then, Cameron Munn had his name taken by the referee after he left his foot in while going in to challenge Gould, who had saved the ball at his feet.
Lee did well to hold the ball up in the centre-circle while having his shirt pulled. He forced the ball to Rose, who couldn’t capitalise by finding another blue shirt down the right wing.
Clever play down their left involving Neale saw Wimborne win a corner. Burrows’ cross was headed out at the near post and Austin was able to chase the ball out of Totton territory. Then, after Burrows took another hefty challenge, Tom Blair swung in a left-wing cross that was diverted out for a corner. Blair took it short and Austin returned it to him to cross from a slightly wider angle. Magri met the cross at the far post but Philpot saved his header.
Burrows went down in the centre-circle but the referee allowed play to continue as The Magpies flew forward down their left wing and sent a low cross to Bedford at inside-right. He aimed a shot for the far bottom corner, but Gould got down to it and pushed the ball wide for a corner.
Totton’s third goal on the night came on 58 minutes, and it was a stunner. A long ball into the left-wing corner was retrieved by Blair, who then had to work his way back towards the corner of the penalty area. The beleaguered Burrows again went down, clutching his face, but the referee saw nothing wrong and allowed play to continue as Tom BLAIR fired an unstoppable high arcing shot that clipped the underside of the crossbar on its way into the top-right corner, with Philpot beaten all ends up. The conditions were well-set for a victorious knee-sliding celebration, and Blair didn’t disappoint, as the fans in Mally’s Corner led the applause.
PEARLER: Totton winger Tom Blair bends an unstoppable shot into the top-right corner of The Magpie's net to put The Stags three goals up.
Jez Bedford’s protestations about Totton’s treatment of Burrows crossed the line with the senior match official, who booked him for dissent before play resumed. Wimborne Manager Tim Sills withdrew Burrows and Munn, and sent on Harry Morgan and Harry Baker. Then, a foul on Lee resulted in a Totton free-kick on their right, which Blair delivered and Hallett headed wide at the near post.
Goal number four came six minutes after the hour. Hallett returned Philpot’s goal-kick all the way back to the goalkeeper, who took a touch but then miss-kicked his clearance. The ball fell to Tony LEE about 25 yards out and, with a first-time shot with the outside of his right foot, the striker curled the ball over the stranded ‘keeper and into the middle of the goal.
Lee wasted no time going in search of his hat-trick goal, turning tightly when his next chance came to shoot from left of the penalty spot. The ball clipped his marker’s outstretched leg and spun into the air, kindly for Philpot who grabbed it gratefully to his chest.
FRESH LEGS: Ethan Taylor stepped off the bench to pose new problems for the Wimborne Town defence.
Harry Baker summed up Wimborne’s situation when he earned himself a booking for simulation by taking a dive in the Totton penalty area. Then, with his side comfortably ahead, Jimmy Ball sent on Ethan Taylor, Harvey Rew and Marcus Daws in place of Blair, Tomasso and Rendell. Shortly after, ex-Stag Josh Carmichael made way for Siphesihle Mdlalose for Wimborne.
An exchange of short, sharp passes between Rew and Austin played Lee into the box but Philpot intercepted the ball before the striker could get there. Then, Hallett’s defensive header only directed the ball to Wright, who managed to get it down and advance on the Totton area, cutting inside on his right foot to shake off one covering defender before he drove his shot straight at Gould.
Hallett put his head to better use to turn a Marcus Daws corner from the Totton left towards goal, forcing Philpot to parry before a flurry of black-and-white shirts managed to smother the attempted follow-up. Taylor was then pressed into defensive duty to tidy up near the left-byline after Rose had been dispossessed mid-way inside the home team’s half. When The Stags countered, Daws cut in from the right wing and aim a left-footed shot from just outside the box, but Philpot was equal to it.
SHADOW PLAY: Marcus Daws turns away from his marker.
Harry Morgan was booked for a foul on Lee in the middle of the pitch. While his striker was receiving treatment, Jimmy Ball chose to send on Josh Owers and Luke Bennett in place of Oastler and Austin.
Charlie Kennedy was booked for a foul on Connor Cocklin. Rose got back to prevent Neale having a clean shot on goal, and Rose cleared the resulting corner himself.
A hefty shoulder charge by Wimborne skipper Sam Jackson on Bennett gave Totton a free-kick to the right of the penalty area. A short free-kick routine quickly fell apart and Kennedy had to chase back to concede a corner on the Totton left, which was then cleared.
Wimborne’s Connor Cocklin departed the fray to be replaced by the experienced Scott Arnold. Rew found Daws in the centre-circle and the winger turned to ping a pass out to Taylor on the left, who had the beating of his marker. But as he dribbled into the box, a heavy touch favoured Philpot, who bent to scoop the ball up before Taylor could make amends.
During three minutes of stoppage time, Jackson fired a shot high and wide from the Wimborne left. Then, Taylor controlled Lee’s pass mid-pirouette and fed the overlapping run of Owers down the left. Owers exchanged passes with the supporting Rew, before whipping in a low cross that Lee flung himself full length to try and poke home with his toes, but the ball flashed between him and the post, leaving the striker having to settle for a brace and a 4-0 Totton victory.
View the IMAGE GALLERY from AFC Totton 4-0 Wimborne Town
Watch JIMMY BALL’S Post-Match Interview
Watch TONY LEE’S Post-Match Interview
Southern League Premier Division South LEAGUE TABLE
AFC Totton FIXTURES
Next Up: DORCHESTER TOWN vs AFC TOTTON
Southern League Premier Division South | Matchday#08 | The Avenue Stadium, Weymouth Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset DT1 2RY | Saturday 14 September 2024 | Kick-Off 3:00pm
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By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Sayers Sports Photography
