AFC Totton
SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION SOUTH | Matchday#32
Saturday 08 March 2025 | Wyatt Homes Stadium, Wimborne | Att: 998
STAGS’ TITLE CHALLENGE STALLS WITH A WHIMPER AT WIMBORNE
WIMBORNE TOWN 3
Matty Burrows 56mins (pen);
Cameron Munn 69mins;
Tobias Holmes 90+1mins
AFC TOTTON 1
Charlie Kennedy 90+4mins
AFC TOTTON PRODUCED one of their worst performances of the season to slump to an unexpected 1-3 defeat at mid-table Wimborne Town in the Southern League Premier Division South encounter at the Wyatt Homes Stadium in Dorset (Saturday 08 March 2025).
After a lacklustre first half, ex-Stag Matty Burrows put The Magpies ahead from the penalty spot 11 minutes after the restart, after Scott Rendell handled from a Wimborne corner. Former Hamworthy United man Cameron Munn doubled the home side's advantage in the 69th minute, running onto a through-ball to the inside-right channel to scuff a low shot across Ryan Gosney and in off the far post.
Totton made several changes to try and shake things up, and attempted to bombard the Wimborne box with an aerial assault. But Gosney's free-kick from just inside the Totton half was returned with interest, setting Toby Holmes away to run half the length of the pitch unopposed; Gosney got back into position in time but could do nothing to prevent the substitute's shot squirming under him to make it 3-0, two minutes into stoppage time. There was still time for Charlie Kennedy to pull one back with a well-taken consolation goal, but it was too little, too late from Totton's point-of-view.
Charlie Kennedy returned to the starting line-up after being named as a substitute for the home draw against Merthyr Town last weekend. Tom Blair also returned, with Luke Bennett injured. Tony Lee came in for Charlie Austin up front. Having recovered from the injury sustained against Havant & Waterlooville in mid-February, winger Ethan Taylor was named on the bench.
WIMBORNE TOWN: 1. Cameron PLAIN; 2. Drew ECCOTT-YOUNG; 3. Samuel JACKSON (Capt); 20. Joshua CARMICHAEL; 5. Samuel ROBERTS; 6. Harvey WRIGHT; 7. Jez BEDFORD; 19. Cameron MUNN; 9. William FLETCHER; 16. Owen ROUNDELL-PRINCE; 11. Matty BURROWS. Substitutes: 4. Billy WALKER; 10. Matthew NEALE; 14. Finley RICHARDSON; 15. Tobias HOLMES; 18. Adam BISS. Substitutions: NEALE for CARMICHAEL (70mins); WALKER for MUNN (80mins); HOLMES for FLETCHER (82mins); BISS for BURROWS (86mins); RICHARDSON for BEDFORD (90+2mins). Yellow Card: WRIGHT (Foul).
AFC TOTTON: 13. Ryan GOSNEY; 2. Joe OASTLER; 5. Charlie KENNEDY; 6. Sam MAGRI; 8. Adam TOMASSO; 9. Scott RENDELL (Capt.); 14. Craig TANNER; 15. Roddy COLLINS; 18. Tony LEE; 19. Tom BLAIR; 20. Richard McINTYRE. Substitutes: 4. Mike CARTER; 7. Ben SEYMOUR; 10. Ethan TAYLOR; 11. Charlie AUSTIN; 12. Luke HALLETT. Substitutions: AUSTIN for BLAIR (64mins); TAYLOR for TOMASSO (64mins); SEYMOUR for LEE (64mins); HALLETT for McINTYRE (77mins); CARTER for TANNER (82mins). Yellow Cards: AUSTIN (Foul); TANNER (Foul).
Craig Tanner got the game underway on a mild afternoon at the Wyatt Homes Stadium in Wimborne. Totton were wearing their usual home kit of all-Royal blue with white trim while their hosts were decked out in black-and-white striped shirts with black shorts and socks.
A ground kick from Ryan Gosney found Tanner near the centre-circle, and the creative midfielder hooked the ball on for Scott Rendell to chase; Wimborne’s goalkeeper Cameron Plain — formerly of AFC Bournemouth — came out to kick clear before the centre-forward could get there.
Coming up against his former club for the second time this season, Wimborne winger Matty Burrows had an early chance to test the pace of Charlie Kennedy and Sam Magri down Totton’s right-hand side. What the two experienced defenders might lack in pace they make up for in street-smarts, and between them they found a way not only to prevent Burrows getting away from them but they also won a free-kick for a supposed dive by the winger when Magri muscled him to the ground with a shoulder charge.
MY BALL: Totton midfielder Roddy Collins turns away from ex-Stag Matty Burrows during The Stags' defeat to Wimborne Town at the Wyatt Homes Stadium.
Burrows did manage to find some space when Gosney slipped midway through kicking clear from his penalty area and another ex-Stag Josh Carmichael volleyed the ball out to the winger, unmarked on the Wimborne left. He raced into the penalty area but overran the ball, before striking into the side-netting behind the near post.
Aided by centre-forward Will Fletcher, Burrows continued to put himself about and succeeded in pressing Totton back towards their own right-wing corner flag with a throw-in. The Stags managed to work the ball back to Gosney to kick clear.
Tanner received possession on the Totton left with time to turn and deliver a cross into the box where Tony Lee tried to improvise a header on the run but could only nod the ball into the waiting gloves of Plain, standing at his near post. Then, Tom Blair got himself into a crossing position on the right wing, but his low centre was forced out by a diving header from Harvey Wright; Totton regained possession but couldn’t capitalise on their territorial advantage.
Wright’s challenge into the back of Lee resulted in a Totton free-kick a few yards inside Wimborne’s half. Kennedy played it forward to Blair, who crossed to the far side of the penalty spot where Joe Oastler’s header was deflected behind for a left-wing corner. Tanner sent a high, curling cross towards the back post and Oastler was there again to guide a header on-target but a defender turned it away from inside the six-yard box.
Wimborne launched a counter-attack down their right flank. Fletcher tried to play Burrows in on the left but Kennedy swiped the ball away. Then, Magri had to divert the ball behind for a corner after Burrows attacked and crossed from the left-wing byline. Carmichael’s cross found Cameron Munn on the edge of the penalty area and he fired narrowly wide of the left-hand post with a jumping, right-footed volley that was well-struck but fractionally off-target.
Tanner, Adam Tomasso and Blair linked up for what looked like a promising attack down the Totton right, until Owen Roundell-Prince came across to shepherd the ball out of play for a goal-kick to the home side. Then, The Magpies won a corner on their right which was flicked on at the near edge of the six-yard box before being turned behind for a goal-kick to Totton.
By the mid-point of the first half, it was apparent that this was to be a game of up-and-under football, with both sides opting to pit their forwards in aerial battles against central defenders much better-suited to the task, and precious little football taking place on the grass below the battle in the skies.
A shove on Kennedy presented Blair with the opportunity to swing a free-kick in from the right-hand side. His cross found Magri but his header ricocheted against his marker before it was cleared. Then, Oastler did well to intercept a through-ball from Sam Roberts that threatened to send Fletcher clear on the Totton goal.
Magri’s attempt to send Kennedy away down the Totton right was repelled by a Wimborne clearance, but The Stags regained possession and two short passes — first from Blair on the right to Tanner in D, then into the inside-right channel — put Kennedy within shooting range but he couldn’t get his shot away quickly enough and it was charged down and kicked away.
ATTACKING FULL-BACK: Richard McIntyre carries the attacking threat from Totton's left.
An enterprising gambit down the left wing by Richard McIntyre ended with his high cross sailing behind the Wimborne goal, much to the delight of the home fans. Then, Magri made an important defensive header on the edge of his own penalty area before the ball was hooked long into the Wimborne half; Roberts had to maintain his concentration to guide it safely back to his goalkeeper with Lee snapping at his heels, eager to pounce on any mistake.
A foul on Lee in the centre-circle and a subsequent off-the-ball scuffle that ended with Burrows on the ground threatened to spoil the spirit in which the game was being contested. When play resumed, Wimborne stood firm against Totton’s attempts to make progress into their box.
Burrows skipped between Blair and Kennedy on the Wimborne left, but a strong sliding tackle by Kennedy halted his progress. Roundell-Prince’s long throw into the penalty area was headed on into the middle where Tomasso volleyed clear.
The Kennedy-Magri combination slammed the door on Burrows, again, but Kennedy’s cross-field pass looking for Lee was intercepted, summing up a frustrating first half for The Stags.
HALF-TIME: WIMBORNE TOWN 0-0 AFC TOTTON
There were no changes to either side as Wimborne Town got the second half started. Fletcher caused problems for Oastler, whose first attempted clearance went straight up in the air before his second went out of play to give Roundell-Prince another chance to hurl the ball into the Totton box from the Wimborne left. It was knocked on from the front post area and came out to Roberts, who had to let the ball roll across his chest before laying off to Jez Bedford, whose shot was charged down to optimistic cries of “hand-ball!” from behind the goal. The Magpies had to settle for a corner, which was headed away at the near post by Roddy Collins. Bedford regained possession and tried to skip past McIntyre to deliver a cross, but had to settle for another corner off the loanee left-back. This time, the cross was curled towards the back post where Fletcher’s header prompted another “hand-ball” shout, but again the referee waved the appeals away and Wimborne had another corner, on their left. They took it short, with an attacker darting to the left-wing byline and pulling the ball back to behind the penalty spot, but the shot was fluffed and Totton were let off the hook.
Carmichael conceded a free-kick on the Totton right, midway inside the Wimborne half. Tanner played it short to Blair, who delivered a high cross to the far side of the ruck of players lined up across the penalty area; Oastler competed for it but was called-up for pulling his marker’s shirt.
GET SHORTY: Wimborne Town defender Sam Roberts gets handsy with Tony Lee.
McIntyre threatened down the Totton left, but was then caught out of position when Wimborne countered. Full-back Drew Eccott-Young clipped the ball forward to inside-right for Burrows, who controlled on the run with the outside of his right boot to set himself for a low cross-shot that Gosney did well to divert wide with his feet. The corner arced high into the box, over two players immediately in front of Rendell; with his view partially blocked, the ball struck Rendell, bounced beside him and then struck his elbow while he was turning his head left-and-right in a vain attempt to locate it. Amid howls from the home crowd for a penalty, the referee took a beat and then pointed to the spot; it was unfortunate for Rendell and perhaps even harsh, but we’ve all seen them given. Gosney dived to his left as Matty BURROWS drove the ball into the middle of the goal to give Wimborne the lead on 56 minutes.
The home side immediately went in search of a second goal, Magri being forced to head away from Eccott-Young’s cross from deep on the right flank. Then, Gosney had to come out of his box to deal with a dangerous through-ball that had Fletcher motoring towards goal down the middle of the pitch.
Tanner conceded a free-kick near the centre-circle. Burrows lobbed the ball towards the far side of the penalty spot where Magpies captain Sam Jackson headed back across goal. Fletcher ran onto it with the ball around chest-height and tried to bundle it home; Gosney put himself in the way and made the stop, but came off worse for wear, needing treatment from the physio.
When play resumed, Roundell-Prince hurled in another of his long throws from the Wimborne left, which Magri nodded behind for a corner. Collins headed Carmichael’s cross away at the near post, at the expense of another Roundell-Prince throw-in. The ball was cleared again, only as far as Bedford who tried to attack and cross from the Wimborne right; Magri tried to volley clear but miss-kicked — Gosney caught it.
By four minutes past the hour, Stags boss Jimmy Ball had seen enough and rang the changes, sending on Charlie Austin, Ethan Taylor and Ben Seymour on to inject some new ideas into the attacking third; Tom Blair, Adam Tomasso and Tony Lee made way.
Rendell brought Taylor into the game, finding the winger in space on the left, but Ecott-Young did well to close him down and force him to turn back; Tanner joined in and forced a left-wing corner. Munn headed the cross away and then charged forward to drive the ball out of Wimborne territory.
DELIVERY SERVICE: Attacking midfielder Craig Tanner crosses into the Wimborne box.
Charlie Austin was booked for a foul, giving Wimborne a free-kick midway inside Totton’s half. It was passed wide to Bedford on the right, whose through-ball to the area to the right of the penalty spot was met by a well-timed run; Cameron MUNN may have scuffed his low shot but it cut across Gosney and into the Totton net via the inside of the far post to double The Magpies’ advantage with 20 minutes to go.
Carmichael was withdrawn to be replaced by Matthew Neale for the home side. Tanner was booked for a petulant foul near half-way, as Totton’s struggles to exert any kind of control over proceedings continued.
Kennedy and Magri combined down the Totton right to win a corner. The near-post cross was knocked down and Collins saw his follow-up shot deflected wide. Tanner’s delivery was pushed away one-handed by Plain from under his crossbar and, although the ball bounced in the middle of the Wimborne box, there was nobody there in a blue shirt, so the home side hooked the ball away.
On 77 minutes, Luke Hallett came on in place of McIntyre. Fletcher got to the right-wing byline and pulled the ball back for Burrows to flick it up and volley, but he blazed his effort high over the crossbar. Then, Wimborne sent on Billy Walker in place of Munn, and shortly after Mike Carter replaced Tanner for Totton and Wimborne sent on centre-forward Tobias Holmes for Fletcher.
Seymour latched onto Oastler’s pass down the Totton left to force a corner, which he took himself; it was headed away by a defender. Then, with four minutes left on the clock, Wimborne withdrew Burrows and sent on midfielder Adam Biss, who played pre-season games while on trial with AFC Totton during the summer.
A long kick from Gosney was knocked on to cause problems for his opposite number, as Plain collided with a defender as he tried to come out and collect the ball at the edge of his area. It fell to Rendell but he couldn’t get enough elevation on his volley, which sailed close enough for Plain to pluck it out of the air.
Totton continued to send high balls into the Wimborne defensive third — a tactic that hadn’t worked all afternoon — and the home defence stood up well to it, again. Five minutes of stoppage time were indicated. Wright was booked for a foul on Seymour, close to the centre-circle inside the Totton half. Gosney came out to take the free-kick and struck it cross-field. A Wimborne head knocked it down and the ball was hooked over the high defensive line to send Toby Holmes — who began his run from inside his own half — clear to run at the Totton goal. Gosney scrambled back into position to front up as the substitute carried the ball into the box, but the Totton ‘keeper could do nothing to prevent Toby HOLMES firing the ball under him to make it three-nil and end the match as a contest.
CONSOLATION GOAL: Charlie Kennedy pulls one back for Totton, deep into stoppage time.
Finley Richardson stepped off the bench to replace Bedford, shortly before Totton registered a consolation goal. Seymour pulled out towards the right wing to open up the inside-right channel for Charlie KENNEDY to charge into and fire a low shot across Cameron Plain and into the far corner. But the lack of any significant celebration demonstrated that The Stags knew the game was up, and the full-time whistle confirmed as much a minute later.
Watch JIMMY BALL’S Post-Match Interview
Watch CHARLIE KENNEDY’S Post-Match Interview
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AFC Totton FIXTURES Season 2024/25
Next Up: CHERTSEY TOWN vs AFC TOTTON
Southern League Premier Division South | Matchday#33 | Alwyns Lane Football Ground, Alwyns Lane, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9DW | Tuesday 11 March 2025 | Kick-Off 7:45pm
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By Ben Rochey-Adams
Images courtesy of Harvey Gerring
