AFC Totton 3 Swindon Supermarine 1

Match Report from Pete Crockett

A GOOD PERFORMANCE IN DEFEAT…

This was a decidedly cruel score line. At 2-1 with 90 minutes elapsed Marine had pegged a probable playoff team in their own half for the best part of forty minutes. It is not overstating it to say a good Totton team, that the previous week had won 3-0 at National League Gloucester City, were under the cosh for much of the second half.

The third breakaway goal gave a harsh balance to the score line that does a disservice to the efforts and performance of the Marine team. Leaving the match numerous home supporters expressed surprise at how Marine were at the foot of the table playing like that.

The host’s website observed that “….Stags bag another important 3 points at the Snows against Supermarine who will surely start picking up points soon based on their performance today.” However, the cold reality is Marine slipped to their eighth league defeat in nine matches despite producing one of their best footballing performances of the season.

The early exchanges were relatively even but once again Marine made things difficult for themselves by conceding the first goal in the eighth minute. Conceding possession on the left flank Totton whipped the ball into the front post. Marine’s defence then failed to clear the danger and after a series of blocks and ricochets the ball fell to the feet of Alfie Stanley who rifled home from close range.

The mettle of the referee was tested in a two-minute period where yellow cards were administered to the host’s Joe Oastler in the 23rd minute and Marine’s Jamie Edge in the 25th. In reality both tackles were very much on that yellow-red borderline and the referee, in showing yellow to both, adopted an admirably sensible consistency of interpretation.

On 35 minutes the host’s doubled their lead. Marine under pressure seemed to have cleared their lines. However, the ball fell to Totton’s Adam Tomasso who hit a ferocious 25-yarder into the top corner of the net. Marine supporters ruefully shook their heads as another belter of a goal was scored against their team.

With five first half minutes to go Marine, who had possession wise more than held their own, created their first scoring opportunity when from a corner George Dowling’s front post flick slipped agonisingly wide of the far post. A second good chance materialised two minutes into the second half when some slick Marine passing sent Levi Irving’s clear of the back four. The striker’s shot was on target but was easily gathered by Lewis Noice in the host’s goal.

The second half pattern of play was one of AFC Totton being pushed onto the back foot as Marine dominated possession. To some extent this suited the home team who absorbed the Marine pressure and threatened on the counterattack. Twice the hosts went close – the first when in the 62nd minute an Ethan Randall free kick played in Scott Rendell whose shot was well saved by Louis Evans and the second three minutes later when a Benny Winterburn shot went wide of the post from close range.

With 68 minutes gone Marine got a goal back when Ed Williams firm volley beat the despairing dive of Lewis Noice. At this point Marine were back in the game and the final twenty minutes saw the home team very much forced into defensive mode. On 80 minutes a Sam Turl header forced Noice to save low down. Then on 87 minutes a George Dowling effort from just outside the box forced the keeper into action again.

It was not overstating it to say that a Marine equaliser was looking a distinct possibility as Marine piled on the pressure. Alas, it was not to be, and in the third minute of injury time Totton scored their third. Full back Benny Read powered down the right flank. He crossed the ball to Jake Scrimshaw who laid the ball into the path of Adam Tomasso whose forceful shot from outside the box beat Louis Evans and gave the home team the buffer of a two-goal lead that they retained for the final minute of the match.

Reflecting on this match, and Marine’s current predicament at the foot of the table, several thoughts come to mind. The first is that if Marine can produce the quality of play they produced at AFC Totton, then positive results are conceivably not that far away.

The second is that conceding at a rate of three goals per match is not sustainable and that situation has to be resolved with urgency. The third is that there are areas where the team needs strengthening – the new management team will undoubtedly be aware of this. The fourth is that for possession Marine have had in recent games they are not testing the opposing keeper enough.

The club has a plethora of players who can strike a good shot from just outside the box but, at times, there seems a reluctance to pull the proverbial trigger. The fifth, and last thought, is that Marine are currently in a league position, that with the quality of players they have, they should not be in.

However, in their first nine league games Marine have played seven top half teams and only two in the bottom half. How Marine’s season evolves will very much be determined by how many points Marine can accrue when they play other sides in the bottom half of the table.

At the end of the match the Marine travelling support applauded their team off the pitch. This was a performance that, even in defeat, certainly warranted this acclamation.

Editors Marine Star Man: Sam Turl
Editors Totton Star Man: Adam Tomasso
Attendance: 1,319

Line Ups

AFC Totton
Manager: Jimmy Ball
Colours: Blue & White Trim
Line-up: 1. Lewis Noice 3. Jordan Ragguette 5. Charlie Kennedy 7. Joe Oastler 8. Adam Tomasso 9. Scott Rendall (c) 10. Etan Taylor (18. Jack Scrimshaw 77’) 14. Ben Winterburn 15. Sam Magri 16. Alfie Stanley (11. Matt Burrows 65’) 17. Leon Maloney (2. Benny Reid 56’)
Subs not used: 6. Luke Hallett, 20. Harry Thomas
Goalscorers: Alfie Stanley 8’, Adam Tomasso 35’, 90+3’
Cards:
Joe Oastler 23’, Matt Burrows 77’
None
None

Swindon Supermarine
Head Coach: Stuart Fleetwood
Colours: All Red
Line-up: 1. Louis Evans 2. Sam Turl 3. Ryan Campbell 4. Jamie Edge (c) 5. Malik Sesay 6. Jake Andrews (12. Henry Spalding 60’) 7. Zack Kotwica (14. Liban Ibrahim 72’) 8. Joe Tumelty 9. Levi Irving 10. George Dowling 11. Ed Williams
Subs not used: 13. Charlie Searle, Mat Liddiard
Goalscorers: Ed Williams 68’
Cards:
Jamie Edge 25’, Joe Tumelty 90+2’
None
None

Match Gallery

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Courtesy of Alex White Photography

Post Match Team Sheet

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Match Officials

Referee: Charlie Bullock
Assistant Referees: Macaulay Antell, Tom Wells