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The sun came out on this Bank Holiday Monday clash between table-topping Totton and waning Weymouth. The Stags went into the game on the back of our first defeat of the season away at Leamington, while former Blue Square Bet Premier side Weymouth spent Saturday afternoon on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline at home against Bedford Town. Totton striker Michael Charles dropped to the bench with Nathaniel Sherborne starting up front with Stefan Brown in the only change from the side that lost to Leamington.
Totton began well and came close to opening the scoring after 4 minutes. Mike Gosney's accurate through ball to Stefan Brown set the striker in on goal but his curled effort was just wide of the far post. But The Stags have a habit of scoring early goals, and today was no different. After a corner from the right, Terras keeper Nick Jordan made a good save before a scramble in the box ended with central defender Ian Richardson turning the ball in from close range on 8 minutes.
Nathaniel Sherborne was then maybe too honest for his own good when he was clean through on goal. His initial shot was saved by Jordan but the ball came back to him and as he tried to go round Jordan, the keeper caught him. Sherborne stumbled and could have got a penalty had he gone down but managed to stay on his feet and as he was trying to correct himself his second shot was saved as well and the ball rolled away for a corner. Up the other end, Weymouth worked a short corner and when the ball was whipped in from the right, it narrowly evaded the heads of two Weymouth players and went straight through for a goal kick.
A long ball down the wing from Tom Baddeley to Sherborne set up another attack for Totton as Sherborne crossed to Brown who fired across goal and wide. Brown was involved again when he played the ball back across goal from Ryan Hill's cross and found Nathan Campbell at the far post, but his effort was put behind for a corner.
Half time: AFC Totton 1-0 Weymouth
Both sides had good chances to score after the break. Brown headed on a long ball out from the back and the ball bounced towards Jordan in the Weymouth goal with Sherborne being kept back by Poole. But Sherborne would not be denied and he nipped in between defender and keeper to get his foot to the ball before Jordan could catch it, unfortunately he knocked the ball wide.
Weymouth had their fair share of chances, however. Matt Groves saw a header go just wide, before Rob Wolleaston had a shot from the edge of the box that wasn't far away as it flew over Grant Porter's crossbar. Sherborne went close again for Totton when he brought down Ryan Hill's long diagonal pass on the edge of the box and superbly flicked it up and over his head and the head of the defender marking him closely; his shot going straight into the arms of Jordan.Sherborne was in again moments later but this time his shot cleared the crossbar.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, Totton gave themselves a bit of breathing space with a second goal. Jon Davies split the Weymouth defence with a through ball and Gosney ran onto it from an onside position to be one-on-one with Nick Jordan and placed a shot inside the near post to double the lead and make the home fans breathe a little easier. Sherborne and substitute Mark Osman both had chances in the remaining 10 minutes, but both somehow managed to fire wide when clean through on goal.
Full time: AFC Totton 2-0 Weymouth
The Stags are back to winning ways after the slump against Leamington. This was a comfortable victory in which Weymouth had chances but Grant Porter was never properly tested in goal. Totton remain top of the table, level on 15 points with Brackley Town. Weymouth are fourth from bottom after a fourth defeat in their first 6 games. Our next game is Saturday 3rd September at 3pm when Barwell are in town.
AFC Totton: Porter, Hill, Whisken, Richardson, Baddeley, Davies (Lewis 90 mins), Pettefer, Campbell, Gosney, Sherborne, Brown (Osman 73). Unused subs: Oldring, Coutts, Charles.
Weymouth: Jordan, Tribe, Tasker, Napper, Gerring, Poole, Marshallsay (Bassett 76), Wolleaston, Groves (McKechnie 84), Byerley, Reed. Unused subs: Dixon, Manely, Stephenson.
Goals: AFC Totton: Richardson (8), Gosney (76).
Officials: Referee: Mr M Derrien. Assistants: Mr D Berry & Mr M Lee.
Attendance: 580.
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