AFC Totton
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH | Matchday#28
Saturday 08 February 2025 | Snows Stadium, Totton, Southampton | Att: 1,092
STAGS HIT SIX OF THE BEST TO CELEBRATE RETURN OF CAPTAIN CARTER
AFC TOTTON 6
Tony Lee 35mins;
Scott Rendell 44mins, 79mins;
Ethan Taylor 45+3mins, 59mins;
Seymour 85mins
MARLOW 1
Oastler 39mins (og)
CAPTAIN MIKE CARTER’S LONG-AWAITED return to the starting line-up inspired AFC Totton to a thumping 6-1 home win over bottom-of-the-table side Marlow in the Southern League Premier Division South at the Snows Stadium on Saturday (08 February 2025).
Tony Lee slid home the first goal of the game from Charlie Kennedy’s low cross, 10 minutes before the break. An off-balance Joe Oastler was unfortunate to stab the ball into his own net after goalkeeper Ryan Gosney had deflected a cross into the centre-half’s shins. But a close-range header from Scott Rendell and a fine finish from Ethan Taylor after impressive build-up play down Totton’s right had The Stags three-one up at the break.
Taylor volleyed home his second when the Marlow ‘keeper punched the ball to his left foot, then Rendell picked his spot with a precise finish into the bottom-right corner after good work from substitutes Luke Bennett and Ben Seymour. And it was Torquay United loanee Seymour who ran in behind the Marlow defence to complete the rout with a tidy finish to the goalkeeper’s right.
Charlie Kennedy moved to right-back to make way for Mike Carter’s inclusion in the starting line-up for the first time in almost 18 months — the captain slotted into his customary holding midfield role alongside Adam Tomasso. Tony Lee came back in having been on the bench at Gosport Borough, with Luke Bennett named among the substitutes.
AFC TOTTON: 13. Ryan GOSNEY; 2. Joe OASTLER; 4. Mike CARTER (Capt.); 5. Charlie KENNEDY; 6. Sam MAGRI; 8. Adam TOMASSO; 9. Scott RENDELL; 10. Ethan TAYLOR; 11. Charlie AUSTIN; 18. Tony LEE; 20. Richard McINTYRE. Substitutes: 3. Ben JEFFORD; 7. Ben SEYMOUR; 12. Luke HALLETT; 15. Roddy COLLINS; 16. Luke BENNETT. Substitutions: COLLINS for CARTER (60mins); BENNETT for TOMASSO (67mins); SEYMOUR for AUSTIN (71mins); JEFFORD for McINTYRE (71mins); HALLETT for MAGRI (75mins). Yellow Cards: TOMASSO (Foul).
MARLOW: 1. Harrison RHONE; 2. Elijah OLADUNJOYE; 20. Anduan HAJDINI; 19. Momodou JALLOW; 5. Sebatian D’AVERSA; 15. Reuben AMISSAH; 7. Rhys HARPER; 8. Christopher OVENDEN (Capt.); 16. Joshua SMITH; 10. Mekhai BESSASA-GRANT; 11. Naheer NAWAF. Substitutes: 12. Harvey MAUDNER; 3. Joshua MASTERS; 14. Toby RAGGETT; 9. Stefan BROWN; 18. Noah AMISSAH. Substitutions: MASTERS for HADJINI (46mins); RAGGETT for BESSASA-GRANT (78mins); MAUDNER for NAWAF (82mins). Yellow Cards: None.
Dressed in their changed kit of maroon shirts and shorts with fluo yellow socks, Marlow kicked-off attacking towards the Aldi End of the Snows Stadium, with their hosts decked out in their usual home kit of all-Royal blue with white trim.
Totton attacked first, with Scott Rendell showing off some nimble footwork on the edge of the Marlow penalty area before slipping the ball through to Tony Lee, but an offside flag tempered the early excitement. Then, visiting goalkeeper Harrison Rhone had to be quickly out of his box to beat Lee to Richard McIntyre’s through-ball down the left wing and kick it onto the roof of the SFS Main Stand.
Rhone was soon involved again, leaping high to get a single glove on Ethan Taylor’s right-wing corner delivery and push the ball out towards the opposite touchline. Totton regained possession but couldn’t fashion a shooting chance.
BACK IN THE GROOVE: AFC Totton captain Mike Carter made his first start for The Stags in almost 18 months after a long injury lay off.
There was a loud cheer from Mally’s Corner when Mike Carter scuttled across to put the ball out to touch before Marlow’s budding attack could exploit space behind McIntyre, prompting chants of “We got our Carter back!”
A cross from their right by Marlow’s Joshua Smith was headed away by Sam Magri. The Buckinghamshire-based Blues picked up the loose ball and worked it to the left-hand side, where Christopher Ovenden drove into the box and took aim towards the near post corner where Stags ‘keeper Ryan Gosney was well-placed to save.
Totton won a free-kick on their right, just over midway inside the opposition half. Adam Tomasso’s delivery found Scott Rendell on the edge of the six-yard box but Sebastian D’Aversa read the situation and hooked the ball away in the nick of time.
Rendell, Lee, Charlie Austin and Taylor were about to fly forward when Taylor’s square pass into the centre-circle went behind Lee and straight to a Maroon-clad opponent. Magri and Joe Oastler both had to intervene to prevent the away side hitting Totton on the counter-attack.
Charlie Kennedy’s pass to the inside-right channel enabled Taylor to get to the byline and cross, hitting a defender and settling for a corner. Tomasso clipped his cross into the six-yard box where Austin headed on. Oastler controlled it with his back to goal and poked it back to Kennedy whose 20-yard drive whistled narrowly past the top-right corner.
Austin chested the ball down to Rendell in the centre-circle, who volleyed into the already motoring Taylor’s path. He got the better of Momodou Jallow and aimed his cross towards Lee in the penalty area. D’Aversa’s defensive header sent the ball into the air and Rhone was able to claim it before Lee could adjust his angle of attack.
Marlow briefly threatened when Mekhai Bessasa-Grant wriggled himself free at the left-wing byline, but his low centre was easily intercepted by Gosney. Then, Rendell’s volley to inside-left put Austin into battle with two defenders, bustling his way into the box, before the full-back Elijah Oladunjoye used a firm shoulder to ensure the former Premier League striker could not get a shot in before the ball ran out of play.
A characteristically robust tackle by Carter midway inside his own half halted Marlow’s progress down their left. Then, Naheer Nawaf tracked back well to stop Austin latching onto McIntyre’s pass down Totton’s left wing, and managed to set-up a counter-attack that ended with a foul by Tomasso, for which he received the game’s first — and, as it transpired, only — yellow card. Smith took the free-kick from close to the AFC Totton home dug-out, and Carter headed it out from the edge of the box before Magri repelled the follow-up.
Lee was penalised for a dive close to the right-wing corner flag, although he escaped a booking. Oastler then had to hook the ball away from his own penalty spot after the visitors had enjoyed a period of possession and crossed from their left touchline.
Taylor, operating on the right flank, chipped the ball into the box for Lee to control on his chest and go for a volley, which was charged down at close quarters. Then, Oastler played McIntyre in down the left and the Oxford United loanee forced a corner. Rhone pushed Tomasso’s cross away under pressure from Lee, and after an awkward bounce, Marlow managed to scrape it away.
Totton were awarded a free-kick for hand-ball in the centre-circle but a moment of lapsed concentration suddenly put Nawaf in possession with only Oastler to beat to then exploit open acreage towards the Totton goal; “You’ll never beat Joe Oastler!” was the chant, after the certain contender for AFC Totton’s Player of the Year award won the ball back with consummate ease.
ON-TARGET TONY: Stags striker Tony Lee slides in to steer Totton into the lead.
Ten minutes before half-time, the home side got their noses in front. Magri played an incisive forward pass down the Totton right to put Kennedy in behind the full-back. He fizzed in a low, angled cross and Tony LEE slid in at the six-yard line to divert the ball past Rhone with his outstretched left leg for his 19th goal of the season.
Magri had the idea to add to the tally early doors, carrying the ball past two opponents in midfield and laying off to the right flank before continuing on into the box to await Taylor’s cross, which was headed away by a defender.
McIntyre won a corner off Oladunjoye. Tomasso hoisted his cross beyond the far post where Oastler’s header from a tight angle was on-target but well-caught by Rhone.
Marlow equalised in odd circumstances on 39 minutes. A high pass down the visitors’ left-wing was agonisingly too high for the leaping Kennedy to head away, allowing Bessasa-Grant to gallop clear and into the box. His low shot was parried by Gosney’s left hand but the ball rebounded into the shins of the retreating Oastler who, knowing that Smith was incoming, tried to nudge the ball wide of the left post but only succeeded in poking it into the net for an Own Goal.
An under-hit back-pass by Rendell had Gosney rushing out of his area to kick clear before Smith could take advantage. But normal service was resumed in the 44th minute.
Lee had possession on the left of Marlow’s penalty area, with two defenders blocking his path to goal. He lifted the ball towards Austin at the far post, and Oladunjoye intervened by heading behind for a left-wing corner. Tomasso and Austin exchanged passes for a short corner, which enabled Tomasso to get to the corner of the area and clip the ball towards the six-yard box where the dangerously unmarked Scott RENDELL helped himself to a headed goal to put The Stags back in front.
BACK IN FRONT: Scott Rendell heads home from the edge of the six-yard box to put Totton back in front at home to Taunton Town in the Southern League Premier Division South.
Three minutes of first-half stoppage time saw Oladunjoye showcase his trebuchet-like throw-in technique, which Totton managed to clear despite Carter and Magri briefly getting in each others way. Then, Marlow forced a corner on their right from which Smith’s cross was initially cleared before a loose pass enabled the visitors to regain possession and go for a goal with a speculative effort that Gosney saved.
Just before the added time elapsed, Totton put themselves further ahead. Magri’s forward pass up the right wing was headed infield by Austin, and Lee’s volley with his right in-step released Taylor to burst away from two chasing defenders. As he approached the near side of the six-yard box, Ethan TAYLOR shook off his pursuers by switching the ball to his left foot, and then squeezed his shot between them and under the diving Rhone to make it three-one, shortly before the referee whistled for the interval.
HALF-TIME: AFC TOTTON 3-1 MARLOW
The visitors made a change at the break, bringing on Joshua Masters in place of Anduan Hajdini. Nawaf managed to intercept Magri’s pass out of defence but McIntyre dashed back quickly to tidy up. Then, Carter’s block took the weight off Oladunjoye’s shot from outside the box to enable Gosney to comfortably save. And The Stags ‘keeper was soon called upon again to make a save from a shot coming in from the Marlow right.
Tomasso won the ball midway inside Totton’s half and fed Taylor on the right. He pulled the ball back to the edge of the area from where Rendell’s low shot was saved by Rhone. Then, Rendell was caught in possession in the Marlow half and Oastler had to intervene at Totton’s right byline to head out of play.
Magri and Kennedy built the play down the right, allowing Taylor to pick out McIntyre on the opposite flank; the full-back ducked inside his marker and took aim with a right-footed shot that was deflected past the near post for a corner. Tomasso’s cross was too high for Oastler.
McIntyre and Taylor attacked from the left wing. Rendell leapt high to head at goal but his effort was deflected for another corner. Tomasso rolled it short into the box and Taylor went down, appealing for a penalty, but the referee wasn’t moved.
TWO FOR TAYLOR: Ethan Taylor's brace took his tally for the season to 13 goals in all competitions.
One minute before the hour, Totton increased their stranglehold on the game by going three goals ahead. Taylor struggled to control a high ball down the right but as the ball dropped infield of both him and his marker, Austin burst through into the box and shot for the far bottom corner, Rhone deflected wide with his leg. From the corner, Tomasso’s high in-swinging cross had Rendell challenging; Rhone got his fist to the ball but it dropped straight onto Ethan TAYLOR’S left foot for the winger to volley home from six yards.
Mike Carter was given a rousing reception and a standing ovation as he departed to make way for Roddy Collins. Then, Gosney was forced into a double-save to deny Bessasa-Grant, before Magri hooked the ball off the goal line with some of the Marlow players appealing in vain that the ball had already gone over the line.
Oladunjoye’s long throw from Marlow’s right fell to Jallow just outside the box. He switched the ball from his right foot to his left before firing narrowly over the bar.
Luke Bennett came on for Tomasso, and was soon injecting his extra energy into Totton’s attacking play with a darting run to the right byline and a low cross from which Rendell forced a corner at the near post. Bennett and Kennedy worked a short corner, before the ball fell to Taylor who prodded it wide.
Charle Austin and Richard McIntyre made way for Ben Seymour and Ben Jefford in the 71st minute. Oastler brought Jefford into the game on the Totton left, and he fed Taylor higher up the wing. Taylor’s cross should have been dealt with but Masters sliced his clearance out for a corner. Taylor delivered high into the six-yard box and Oastler won the header, knocking it down to Rendell who volleyed past the left-hand post.
Rendell took possession in the centre-circle and spotted Bennett’s run down the right. Bennett controlled the pass on his way into the box but dragged his shot a fraction wide of the far post.
With 15 minutes to go, Luke Hallett came on for Sam Magri. Hallett’s first contribution was to clip the ball down the right flank for Seymour to run onto, the Torquay United loanee watering a buffeting from two defenders long enough to find Lee, but the return pass fell behind Seymour.
Jallow and Nawaf tried to burrow an opening from the edge of the Totton box but found Taylor too big an obstacle to surpass. Then, Totton increased their lead with 10 minutes to go. Bennett took a throw-in on the right touchline and Seymour wriggled away from D’Aversa to lay the ball back to Bennett, whose cross dropped to the left of the penalty spot. Scott RENDELL controlled the ball and steered it between two defenders and beyond the reach of Rhone to guide it into the bottom-right corner for his 12th goal of the season.
Joshua Smith found space in the Totton box to shoot from a narrow angle, forcing Gosney to save with his legs and then parry the follow-up effort wide. Marlow took a short corner but when they crossed into the box, Gosney took charge.
A determined run took Kennedy to the right-wing byline. He crossed into the box and Rendell headed on-target, but Rhone parried and claimed the ball at the second attempt.
GOAL FOR THE GULL: On-loan Torquay United striker Ben Seymour stepped off the bench to open his AFC Totton account with the last goal of the game.
The goalscoring was completed in the 85th minute, when Kennedy’s through-ball from midfield put Ben SEYMOUR in behind the Marlow defence. The young striker advanced on goal from inside-right, maintained his composure and finished with a firm swipe of his right instep to register his first AFC Totton goal and make it six-one to The Stags.
Bennett blocked when Masters and Raggett tried to work their way into the Totton box. Then, Collins was penalised for a foul on Harvey Maudner, resulting in a free-kick 25 yards out; Smith ballooned his shot high and wide, into the safety netting behind Gosney’s goal.
During three minutes of stoppage time at the end of the game, Gosney’s long kick down field put Seymour in the clear, once again, with the striker racing into the inside-left channel. This time, however, his composure deserted him and he thrashed his shot high over the near post.
Taylor had a late chance to add to Totton’s tally with a shot from a narrow angle beyond the left post. Rhone parried and Lee was tempted into a scissor-kick shot, but a defender blocked.
View the full GALLERY from AFC Totton 6-1 Marlow
Gallery Part One | Gallery Part Two
Watch JIMMY BALL’S Post-Match Interview
Watch MIKE CARTER’S Post-Match Interview
Latest Southern League Premier Division South TABLE
AFC Totton FIXTURES Season 2024/25
Next Up: AFC TOTTON vs TAUNTON TOWN
Southern League Premier Division South | Matchday#29 | Wordsworth Drive, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2HG | Saturday 08 February 2025 | Kick-Off 3:00pm
LIVE Commentary on StagsRadio via X (Twitter)
By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Harvey Gerring
