Match report: AFC Totton held to a 1-1 Southern League Premier South draw by Swindon Supermarine FC after red card alters contest
AFC Totton had to settle for a point after a red card and a hard-fought battle with Swindon Supermarine at the Webbswood Stadium.
Jimmy Ball’s side came from behind to level, but a red card to Ben Jefford with 55 minutes played shifted the momentum, and they did well to fight and maintain their nine-game league unbeaten run.
“The match panned out as I thought it would”, said AFC Totton manager Jimmy Balll. “Very difficult, difficult pitch, and difficult opposition. Fair play to Swindon. It’s hard to break down a back five, but the lads had a right go, especially after going down to ten men.
“We didn’t create a lot, but then neither did they. It was a tough game, so we’ll take it away from home with 10 players. The character was great, so it’s a good point away from home.”
When asked about the red card to Jefford, Ball added: “It happens. I think our player was looking at the ball the whole time, and as it came to him, the lad ran across him. You’re swinging your leg, and there’s nothing you can do. It’s a foul – it is what it is.
“However, it did change the game. We were playing well then, creating a lot of pressure, and then we had to fight, scrap, and work to maintain our unbeaten run, so I’m proud of the boys.”
The game started with Michael Elias-Fernandes hitting the post from a free-kick in the eighth minute after it managed to get through the wall, with Ryan Gosney happy to see it come off the woodwork.
However, three minutes later, Supermarine got their goal, Ioan Richards, with a header from a short corner routine that looped over the backtracking Gosney to put the hosts in the lead.
AFC Totton levelled in the 17th minute when Ben Seymour pulled the ball back to former Premier League striker Charlie Austin, who smashed it home at the near post.
Totton threatened with several balls played over the top for Seymour and Tom Blair to run onto, but a lack of consistent final-third decision-making killed the momentum.
After half-time, the visitors switched on to Swindon’s gameplan and started to win the ball high up the pitch against the home team’s ball-playing defenders, but goalscoring chances remained few and far between.
In the 55th minute, left-back Jefford received a second yellow card for a late challenge and was duly sent off, reducing his side to 10 men. The dismissal halted the visitors’ bright first 10 minutes of pressing, forcing Ball’s men to retreat and allow Swindon to find pockets of space to move into and advance with precise passing.
A heart-in-mouth moment came in the 80th minute when a low ball into the corridor of uncertainty from Marine’s right flank forced Sam Magri and Gosney to collide, with the ball ricocheting across an open goalmouth before skimming the outside of the far post.
AFC Totton had several set pieces to find their big men in the box and potentially nick a late winner, but the quality of deliveries was lacking.
Supermarine had the best chance of the game two minutes into stoppage time. The ball was pulled back to Oliver Mahew, with Gosney getting enough on the shot to slow it down, allowing Magri to hack the ball clear before it could cross the line, ensuring the points were shared.
AFC Totton side returns to action on Saturday when welcoming Merthyr Town for a Southern League Premier South clash.
AFC Totton: R. Gosney, J. Oastler, B. Jefford, C. Kennedy, S. Magri, B. Seymour, A. Tomasso, C. Austin, C. Tanner, R. Collins, T. Blair. Subs: M. Carter, S. Rendell, L. Hallett, L. Bennett, T. Lee.
