AFC Totton
Venue:
TigerTurf Stadium, Sudmeadow Road, Gloucester GL2 5HS
ANOTHER CRUCIAL GAME at the top of the Southern League Premier Division South this weekend, as second-placed AFC Totton travel to take on third-placed Gloucester City at the TigerTurf Stadium.
Last time out, a ruthless Stags performance saw them run-out 4-0 winners against Plymouth Parkway at the Snows Stadium. Ethan Taylor put Jimmy Ball’s team in control with goals in the 40th and 81st minutes, before a Scott Rendell penalty and a clinical strike by Sam Magri in stoppage time added some extra gloss to the result.
GLOUCESTER CITY – THEIR SEASON SO FAR:
Gloucester currently sit third in the table with 52 points from 27 games. Having been relegated from the National League North last season, The Tigers went the first three games of the season unbeaten, following up their 3-3 opening day draw at Taunton Town with back-to-back wins at home to Plymouth Parkway and Wimborne Town. Their first defeat of the campaign came at Dorchester Town, but they bounced back to beat Merthyr Town at home.
Progress was made in the Emirates FA Cup with a First Round Qualifying victory over Paulton Rovers, and two more league wins followed against Marlow and Hungerford Town. Gosport Borough then knocked Gloucester out of the FA Cup, when their Second Round Qualifying tie at Privett Park finished 2-2 and Boro’ won the reply in Gloucestershire by two goals without reply.
A goalless draw with Hanwell Town and a single goal away win at Tiverton Town kept The Tigers in touch with the top end of the table. Meanwhile, Third Round Qualifying for the Isuzu FA Trophy brought a tie with Wimborne Town that required penalties to separate the two sides. Gloucester won the shoot-out 8-7, and celebrated by taking top spot in the league with a 2-1 home win against Havant & Waterlooville, and a subsequent victory over Frome Town.
The Tigers visited the Snows Stadium on Saturday 19 October and held The Stags to a 1-1 draw. They went on to beat Winchester City but exited the FA Trophy following a First Round defeat at the hands of Warwickshire-based Coleshill Town of the Northern Premier League Division One Midlands.
Gloucester then went without a win in their next four league games, drawing three and losing 0-2 to Bracknell Town. They bounced back with two wins before a shock 0-6 defeat to struggling Plymouth Parkway – for whom on-loan Exeter City striker Mitchell Beardmore bagged all six goals – ruined their Christmas. However, The Tigers have gone unbeaten in the seven games since, beginning with a 3-1 home win over Swindon Supermarine on Boxing Day and subsequent wins at home to Sholing and – on Tuesday night – at Bracknell, alongside draws with Wimborne, Merthyr, Taunton and Frome.
GLOUCESTER CITY – LAST FIVE:
Merthyr Town (Away) | SLPDS | Draw 2-2
Taunton Town (Home) | SLPDS | Draw 2-2
Sholing (Home) | SLPDS | Won 2-1
Frome (Away) | SLPDS | Draw 0-0
Bracknell Town (Away) | SLPDS | Won 1-0
AFC TOTTON – LAST FIVE:
Walton & Hersham (Away) | SLPDS | Lost 2-3
Merthyr Town (Away) | SLPDS | Drew 1-1
Gosport Borough (Home) | SLPDS | Won 2-1
Frome Town (Home) | SLPDS | Drew 1-1
Plymouth Parkway (Home) | SLPDS | Won 4-0
IN THE REVERSE FIXTURE…
On Saturday 19 October 2024, it was Second vs Third when AFC Totton hosted then top-of-the-table Gloucester City at the Snows Stadium. Early substitute Brandon Smalley gave the visitors the lead 10 minutes before the break, but Ethan Taylor’s (pictured above) angled strike from the left corner of the penalty area shortly before the hour capped a fine team move to equalise for Totton. The late dismissal of Gloucester’s Daniel Leadbitter for a second bookable offence had The Stags looking the more likely winners by the end, but City held on to retain top spot.
STAGS RADIO:
If you are unable to follow The Stags to Gloucester, then make sure you stay up-to-date with the action by heading over to our official X account for LIVE radio commentary by Josh Cole and Ben Brees on our StagsRadio service, with the pre-match build-up starting at 2:45pm.
By Joshua Cole
Image courtesy of Harvey Gerring
