Match report: AFC Totton shift approach to seal dominant 3-0 win over Hungerford Town FC in the Southern League Premier South
After mixed results in March, AFC Totton manager Jimmy Ball shifted his side’s approach, and it paid dividends with a 3-0 win over Hungerford Town on Saturday at Bulpit Lane.
Ball played with an aggressive three-up-front formation, with three central defenders and pace on the wings, and the goals of Charlie Austin, Scott Rendell, and Tony Lee showed that the changes were wise.
“Brilliant performance – a little different from what we’re used to”, said Stags boss Ball. “I think we came out here at a difficult place to play, what with the slope and how hard the pitch is, and we adjusted really well, winning the scrap.
“I’m really pleased with the performance. Although it wasn’t a good football performance, it was a good footballing performance. Sometimes, you have to adapt, find a way, and finally, something went our way.
“I knew we’d put in a battling performance. We’ve got good men in there, who can roll up their sleeves and do that.”
It was a scrappy opening 15 minutes – not aided by a hard, uneven playing surface and the sun shining into the eyes of the players – produced little by way of goalmouth action until Luke Bennett’s tenacity to win the ball in an advanced position on the right-hand side and deliver an inch-perfect cross towards the back post enabled the unmarked Charlie Austin to smash home on the volley.
The second goal came just nine minutes later when Ethan Taylor battled to win possession against two defenders on the wing before carrying the ball into the left side of the penalty area and passing back to Lee, who sidestepped his marker and chipped towards the back post. Bennett arrived to shoot on the volley, his effort striking a defender and falling to Rendell, who swept the ball home from six yards.
The Crusaders had a chance to get one back almost instantly. Kyle Tooze sprung the offside trap to bare down on goal at inside-right and tried to slip it past Ryan Gosney, but the AFC Totton goalkeeper’s star jump successfully diverted the ball wide of the near post.
The visitor’s third goal came 10 minutes into the second half. Austin snuck in behind Hungerford’s defensive line and drew a foul from Matt Berry-Hargreaves, who was shown the yellow card, resulting in a free-kick 25 yards out, left of centre. Lee stepped up to strike a stunning, curling shot around the defensive wall and into the bottom-right corner of the goal despite goalkeeper Ryan Clarke being positioned on that side.
Rendell came close to adding a fourth from an Austin-led breakaway that resulted in Taylor receiving possession beyond the far post and centring for the closely-marked number nine, who fired over the. Still, the three points were by then already secure.
The second-placed Stags will play their game in hand on Tuesday away against Taunton Town before hosting Tiverton Town on Saturday.
AFC Totton: R. Gosney, J. Oastler, M. Carter, S. Magri, S. Rendell, E. Taylor, C. Austin, L. Hallett, R. Collins, L. Bennett, T. Lee. Subs: B. Jefford, C. Kennedy, B. Seymour, C. Tanner, R. McIntyre.
