AFC Totton sink Sholing FC in League Challenge Cup

League Challenge Cup

Sholing FC 1
AFC Totton 4

AFC TOTTON secured a place in the second round of the Southern League Challenge Cup and struck a psychological blow with victory over Sholing.

The two sides are currently battling for the top spot in the Southern League Division One South with the Stags a point ahead of the Boatmen, and victory in Tuesday night’s cup match lays down a big marker.

The Stags started at a ferocious pace, and Harry Medway would have scored after six minutes if not for a superb goalline clearance.

The half’s best chance fell to Brett Williams, whose header forced keeper Luke Deacon into a sharp, low save.

The Boatmen fashioned a decent chance in the 24th minute, but Lewis Noice was equal to a fierce shot from former Stag Stuart Green.

With the half-time whistle moments away, Freddie Read fired over the bar with the match still goalless.

Ten minutes after the restart, Williams broke the deadlock when he pounced on Deacon’s loose touch to tuck into an empty net.

Sholing responded well, but Stephane Zubar halted their offence with a superb last-ditch tackle inside the box.

However, after another attack, a poor Ade Olumuyiwa clearance fell straight to Conor Whiteley, and the former Bashley player blasted home the equaliser. Less than a minute later, Ethan Taylor went straight up the other end before restoring the Stags’ lead with an audacious lob over the keeper’s head.

Sholing clattered the crossbar in the 72nd minute, but the visitors scored the next goal to sink Sholing when a Jack Hoey free-kick rebounded off the post and into the path of Jordan Raguette for 3-1.

Raguette then added gloss to the victory with a venomous strike from the edge of the box.