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After a relatively comfortable victory against Arlesey Town in the first game of the season, Totton faced a seemingly more difficult test on Tuesday evening when Oxford City visited the Testwood Stadium. City are an established Southern Premier League side, but finished a disappointing 14th last season. While Totton were winning at Arlesey at the weekend, Oxford had to settle for a point at home as they drew 1-1 with Redditch United.
For the first 10 minutes of this game it looked as if Oxford would give Totton a much sterner test than Arlesey as they made it difficult for us to get hold of the ball on the floor and play our passing game. Stefan Brown had a shot that went just over the bar in the 7th minute after a rare Totton move in the opening stages. From a Gosney corner, Michael Charles and Oxford keeper Jason Mooney both went for the ball and when Mooney couldn't hold onto it, the ball fell to Stefan Brown whose shot was deflected over the bar.
Mooney then made an excellent save to deny Gosney as his curling shot was blocked by the outstretched leg of the 6ft 9in former bartender at Wycombe Wanderers. The ex-pint puller was soon picking the ball out of the net though after a free kick right on the edge of the 18-yard box was fired under the wall and into the bottom corner by Ryan Hill for his first goal of the season. Mooney got a hand to the low strike but couldn't keep it out. With 10 minutes to go in the first half, Totton doubled the lead. From a Gosney corner on the right, Brown lost his marker to send a glancing header across goal and into the far side of the net.
Just as it looked like The Stags would go in at the break at 2-0, two goals in as many minutes right at the end of the first half ended the game as a contest. First, Stefan Brown did well to work a bit of space in the box and curl a shot away from Mooney's outstretched arm for 3-0, then Gosney bundled in Jon Davies' low cross at the far post under pressure from two defenders to make Stuart Ritchie's half time talk much easier.
Half time: AFC Totton 4-0 Oxford City
Oxford made 2 changes at half time, with Wayne Blossom and Jimmy Deabill replacing Nick Stanley and Reece Fleet. Totton continued to run the game and 11 minutes into the second half we were out of sight. A brilliant flowing passing move ended with Gosney receiving the ball on the edge of the area, taking it past one defender and firing a shot past Mooney and into the goal off the underside of the crossbar. A minute later and Michael Charles came close to making it six as he stretched to get on the end of Gosney's curled cross but the ball just evaded the striker's boot and flew wide of the post.
Totton substitute James Coutts fired over the bar on 73 minutes, before City striker Steve Basham missed the easiest chance for either side all evening. As a cross came in from the wing, Grant Porter couldn't get to it and Basham was presented with an empty goal but somehow managed to volley the ball wide from 3 yards out. Gosney tried his luck again after Carl Pettefer's pass set him up but after switching the ball onto his right foot the shot was just over the bar.
Some excellent defending on the line then denied Totton a sixth goal. A ball over the top found sub Mark Osman. Mooney came rushing out of the Oxford goal to meet him but was then caught in no-mans-land when Osman squared the ball to Gosney. As Gosney collected the ball an Oxford defender got back to block his goal-bound strike and the ball was cleared to safety. With 3 minutes to go, Totton made it a super six. A free kick 20 yards out was taken low by Gosney and as Mooney got down to save he parried it back towards the on-rushing Nathaniel Sherborne who slid in ahead of the defence to slot the ball home.
Full time: AFC Totton 6-0 Oxford City
A fantastic result for The Stags against an established Southern Premier League side, and after only 2 league games we are top of the league! Early, I know, but it's still nice to see. And we outdid Southampton despite their best efforts to emulate our emphatic scoreline(!) Totton are at home again for our next match when Swindon Supermarine are in town this Saturday at 3pm. See you then!
AFC Totton: Porter, Hill, Whisken, Richardson, Baddeley, Davies (Coutts 61 mins), Campbell, Pettefer (C), Gosney, Charles (Sherborne 65), Brown (Osman 72). Subs: Lewis, Oldring, Coutts, Sherborne, Osman.
Oxford City: Mooney, Ballard, Learoyd, Clarke, Ashton (Martin), Barcelos, Pond, Fleet (Deabill), Stanley (Blossom), Basham, Steele. Subs: Blossom, Martin, Green, Deabill, Benjamin.
Goals: AFC Totton: Hill (21 mins), Brown (36 and 43), Gosney (44 and 56), Sherborne (87).
Officials: Referee: Mr D Robathan. Assistants: Miss L May & Mr A Foster.
Attendance: 354.
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