FA Cup second round qualifier football: Terrific AFC Totton trounce toothless Tigers

FA Cup second round qualifier

Gloucester City AFC 0

AFC Totton 3

A Scott Rendell hat-trick spearheaded AFC Totton into the third qualifying FA Cup round, much to Gloucester City AFC’s misery.

Despite playing a side a step higher on the football pyramid, the Stags fully deserved their win after Rendell scored early before completing his triple with two after the break.

The game’s opening exchanges proved reasonably balanced, with both sides enjoying an equal share of possession, despite never truly testing either goalkeeper.

Ethan Taylor did well to fire off a shot that the keeper smothered, but the deadlock stood until just before the half-hour mark.

Jimmy Ball’s new signing, Joe Oastler, made it a debut to remember after nodding on a corner into the path of Rendell, who turned on a sixpence to bury the ball underneath Zach Jeacock.

The goal came much to the outrage of the Tigers faithful, with suggestions that Leon Maloney’s initial set-piece delivery did not seem to be on the corner quadrant.

The hosts came back well and rattled the frame of Lewis Noice’s goal, but things soon went from bad to worse for the Tigers.

Jamie Reckford was issued a second yellow card for clattering into Adam Tomasso on the halfway line, leaving Gloucester City AFC a goal and man down.

The Stags doubled their advantage five minutes into the second period when Rendell pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box.

Leon Maloney looked terrific, and he could have bagged two assists had Jake Scrimshaw’s header not hit the post and Oastler not headed over.

Tim Flowers’ men continued to wilt and, much to the audible anger of the fans, conceded another in the 89th minute, with Rendell completing his hat-trick after some fabulous endeavour from Jordan Ragguette.

The Stags host Swindon Supermarine when they return to league action on Saturday at 3pm.

AFC Totton: L. Noice, J. Ragguette, C. Kennedy, J. Oastler, A. Tomasso, S. Rendell, E. Taylor, B. Winterburn, S. Magri, A. Stanley, L. Maloney. Subs: N. Trojanowski, B. Read, M. Carter, L. Hallett, M. Burrows, J. Scrimshaw, H. Thomas.