AFC Totton
VENUE: First 4 Pools Stadium, Winterfield Road, Paulton BS39 7RF
To book your place on the bus with STAGS TRAVEL, call 0754 012 4719
(Departing Snows Stadium at 11:30am)
LOOKING TO PUT THE DISAPPOINTMENT of Tuesday night’s defeat at title rivals Sholing behind them, Jimmy Ball’s Stags will travel to Paulton Rovers on Saturday to take on the team currently occupying seventh position in the Southern League Div.1 South table.
This will be the first meeting of the campaign between AFC Totton and the Bristol-based Rovers. The two teams were originally due to meet at the Snows Stadium in September, but progress in cup competitions meant that match was rescheduled to Tuesday 10 January. Then, a waterlogged pitch prevented the game going ahead at the second attempt. So, take three – and all aboard the Stags’ Bus.
Rovers began their 2022/23 league campaign in erratic form. A Kyle Tooze hat-trick inspired a 4-1 home win over Lymington Town on the opening day, but wins and losses came just as frequently as one another through the first few months of the season until a purple patch of form throughout December that lasted beyond the weather-enforced winter break saw them record five consecutive victories.
Edward Butcher’s goal eight minutes into stoppage time completed the double over lowly Lymo on Saturday 03 December. They then had to wait until Boxing Day to kick another ball in the Southern League Div.1 South, when they came from behind to beat Bristol Manor Farm 3-1. Two days into 2023, they hit four past Cinderford Town without reply at The Foresters’ Causeway Ground in Gloucestershire, where William Hailston helped himself to two goals. Hailston was on target again with the only goal of the game at home to Exmouth Town on the first Saturday of the New Year. Then, after the Totton postponement, Paulton entertained Evesham United, taking the lead three times in the game to eventually win 3-2.
The Rovers’ impressive run came to an end on the 3G surface at Bishop’s Cleeve on the last day in January, with The Mitres recovering from Edward Butcher’s 12th-minute opener to win 2-1 through goals from Ross Langworthy and Leroy Odiero. Last weekend, they played out a 1-1 draw with the relegation battling Swans of Slimbridge AFC.
Paulton enjoyed an exciting run in the Emirates FA Cup this season. They made light work of Bideford AFC in the Preliminary Round with a comfortable 5-2 win at home, and Royal Wootton Bassett were similarly dismissed with 4-2 away win. The Rovers needed two attempts to overcome Gosport Borough in 2nd Round Qualifying, drawing 1-1 at Privett Park before winning the replay 2-1 at home. Their adventure came to rather an abrupt end with a 1-6 defeat at Hampton & Richmond Borough of the National League South on 01 October.
In the Isuzu FA Trophy, a 2-1 away in at Highworth Town in mid-September was followed by a 2-3 loss at Cirencester Town. Rovers have only played once in the Somerset Premier Cup so far this season, when they needed a penalty shoot-out to overcome the challenge of Keynsham Town from the Western League Premier Division.
Striker Kyle Tooze had accumulated 10 league goals in the earlier part of this season, before leaving to join Southern League Premier Division South side Yate Town. Defender Dan Restorick was part of last season’s Larkhall Athletic team that ended AFC Totton’s run in the FA Trophy at Plain Ham. Several other members of the Paulton Rovers squad are products of their U18s, with some having left and returned to the club over the years. Edward Butcher is described within the information provided for the AFC Totton Matchday Programme as a speedy left winger with a fierce shot. He is now in his fourth season at the First 4 Pools Stadium, having previously represented Bridport Town and Tiverton Town.
FREDDIE, AIM, FIRE: Midfielder Freddie Read lines up a shot from the edge of the Paulton Rovers box during the league meeting at the Snows Stadium in December 2021.
Of the 16 occasions these two teams have met, AFC Totton have run out as winners 7 times, with 5 draws and 4 wins for The Rovers. Paulton were the first visitors to Testwood Stadium after its unveiling in February 2011, in a match The Stags won by a healthy 5-1 scoreline. Last season, Paulton grabbed a surprise 4-2 win in December, despite a penalty from Hisham Kasimu and a Callum Baughan goal. The return match at the First 4 Pools Stadium was Jimmy Ball’s third game in charge. The match ended goalless, despite The Stags creating several chances to win it.
By Ben Rochey-Adams and Malcolm Tombs, Club Historian
Image courtesy of Craig Hobbs Photography
