MATCH PREVIEW: TOTTON TRAVEL TO CHERTSEY ON TUESDAY NIGHT

The Venue:
Alwyns Lane Football Ground, Alwyns Lane, Chertsey, Surrey KT16 9DW

AFTER A DISAPPOINTING DEFEAT at the weekend, The Stags will have to dust themselves off and go again as they travel to Chertsey for a Tuesday night encounter at the Alwyns Lane Football Ground.

Last time out, AFC Totton were beaten 1-3 at Wimborne Town. The Magpies’ goals came from ex-Stag Matty Burrows, from the penalty spot, Cameron Munn and substitute Toby Holmes. Charlie Kennedy pulled one back late into stoppage time but it was little more than a consolation goal at the end of a poor team performance.

CHERTSEY TOWN – THEIR SEASON SO FAR:
Chertsey are currently fighting to stay in this division, as they sit in 17^th place on 37 points from 32 games played. The Curfews started the season by winning handsomely at home against Hungerford Town, 4-1, but they then experienced mixed results – losing to Havant & Waterlooville, winning against Tiverton Town, drawing to Frome Town and losing to Walton & Hersham before the Emirates FA Cup rolled around.

In the cup, Chertsey managed to make progress by beating Raynes Park Vale. However, their inconsistent league form continued – draws with Winchester City and Bracknell Town coming among their next four outings, alongside defeat to Dorchester Town and ongoing FA Cup progress at the expense of Hanwell Town.

Back-to-back cup wins came next; a 3-2 win at home to Ashford United in FA Cup Third Round Qualifying and a penalty shoot-out success against Billericay Town in Third Round Qualifying for the Isuzu FA Trophy. They faced a big FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying tie at home to Sutton United, but lost it 1-3.

Chertsey won two and lost one of their next three league games, before they faced Uxbridge away in the FA Trophy First Round, in which they triumphed 3-0. A win in the Surrey Senior Cup maintained their good cup form, then a win and a defeat followed in the league before a trip to Bath City in the FA Trophy Second Round, where they managed to cause an upset with a 3-2 win.

However, Chertsey’s league form continued to fall from the heights of the start of the campaign, as they lost to both Gosport Borough and Merthyr Town. They won against Taunton Town but then lost 0-3 when they came to the Snows Stadium in early-December.

The FA Trophy run continued with the Third Round giant-killing of National League side Dagenham & Redbridge, but back-to-back defeats to Gloucester City (1-3) and Havant & Waterlooville (0-4) saw The Curfews continue to struggle in the league. They picked up a win and a draw against Hanwell Town and Tiverton Town, respectively, before their FA Trophy journey came to an abrupt end with an 0-8 mauling at the hands of Aldershot Town.

After that huge defeat, Chertsey responded by beating Poole Town, but then followed a six-game losing streak which has seen The Curfews plummet down the table. In their last three games, they have won twice and lost once, opening a three-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

CHERTSEY TOWN – LAST FIVE:
Walton & Hersham (Home) | SLPDS | Lost 1-2
Sholing (Away) | SLPDS | Lost 0-3
Gosport Borough (Away) | SLPDS | Won 2-0
Wimborne Town (Home) | SLPDS | Lost 1-2
Basingstoke Town (Away) | SLPDS | Won 3-1

AFC TOTTON – LAST FIVE:
Marlow (Home) | SLPDS | Won 6-1
Havant & Waterlooville (Home) | SLPDS | Won 3-1
Swindon Supermarine (Away) | SLPDS | Drew 1-1
Merthyr Town (Home) | SLPDS | Drew 1-1
Wimborne Town (Away) | SLPDS | Lost 1-3

Luke Hallett wins an aerial challenge during the first meeting between AFC Totton and Chertsey Town of the 2024/25 season at the Snows Stadium in early-December.

IN THE REVERSE FIXTURE…
At a chilly Snows Stadium on Tuesday 03 December 2024, AFC Totton faced a high-scoring Chertsey Town. Scott Rendell’s 17^th-minute opener put The Stags ahead, and then the turning point of the game came in the 25^th minute when Eoin Casey was sent off. A depleted Chertsey side were played off the park by a ruthless Totton, and they scored twice more to win 3-0, Rendell adding his second with a 45^th-minute penalty and Charlie Austin finished the game off with a goal in the 89^th minute.

STAGS RADIO:
Not travelling to Chertsey on Tuesday night? You can listen to all the action via StagsRadio on our official X account. The build-up to the match will commence at 7:30pm, with LIVE full-match commentary from Josh Cole and Steve Brookwell.

By Joshua Cole

Image courtesy of Sayers Sports Photography

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