Match report: AFC Totton held to a 1-1 Southern League Premier Division South draw by Dorchester Town FC

AFC Totton took a massive point in their quest for promotion, holding off fellow promotion hopefuls Dorchester Town in a hard-fought draw at Snows Stadium on Saturday.

Sam Magri gave the Stags an early lead, but Wesley Fogden restored parity to ensure a share of the points with fifth-placed Magpies.

“It was a scrappy game”, said AFC Totton manager Jimmy Ball. “It wasn’t a great spectacle of football, really. We struggled to play any really good football. The lads fought hard, but you expect that – that’s a non-negotiable. I suppose that’s the right result.

“It was only our fourth penalty all season, but it was a foul. If you look at the rules of football, he should have also seen red, but the referee made his own decision on that.

“We create lots of chances, but we don’t seem to be ruthless at the moment with our finishing. Then the other team get one... It’s disappointing, but it’s our fault. As I said, I think it was a fair result.”

The visitors started strongly, coming close to the game’s opener in the first five minutes as Fogden headed a cross into the arms of Stags keeper Ryan Gosney.

The home side took the lead after a direct goal-kick sent Ben Seymour in behind the Dorchester defence before Will Spetch brought him down inside the box. The referee showed a yellow card to Spetch before Magri stepped up confidently to put The Stags ahead.

Both teams struggled to find a rhythm, with much of the game being played in the air. While Dorchester had the lion’s share of possession, their best chances came from set-pieces, such as when Shaquille Gwengwe – playing against his former club – struck a volley straight at Gosney.

The Magpies deservedly equalised just before the half-hour mark when Matthew Buse did well to keep the ball in play at the right-wing byline and pulled back for Fogden to fire a first-time shot low and hard into the near-post corner.

Charlie Austin almost put the hosts back in front on 36 minutes when he swivelled and side-footed narrowly over the bar from Craig Tanner’s low corner delivery.

The second half began as the first had ended, with both sides struggling to assert themselves on the game and the ball spending a lot of time in the air.

Austin came close for the hosts again, sliding within inches of Tanner’s low centre across the Dorchester goalmouth.

Well-travelled striker Brett Pitman – former AFC Bournemouth legend – entered the fray in the 67th minute as the visitors sought a winning goal.

AFC Totton responded by ramping up the pressure within the last 10 minutes, with Tom Blair snatching at a chance after using his strength to good effect to shrug off his marker and latch onto Joe Oastler’s lobbed pass before firing over the bar.

Four minutes of stoppage time produced few potential match-winning moments, so the two sides had to settle for a draw, leaving the possibility of a possible rematch at the end of season play-offs.

The Stags take on seventh-placed Hungerford Town away from home on Saturday.

AFC Totton: R. Gosney, J. Oastler, S. Magri, B. Seymour, A. Tomasso, C. Austin, L. Hallett, C. Tanner, R. Collins, L. Bennett, R. McIntyre. Subs: C. Kennedy, S. Rendell, E. Taylor, T. Lee, T. Blair.