Manor Farm were dealt a harsh and clinical lesson after a largely bright performance still ended in a 3-0 defeat.
Totton started the game on the front foot and had the games first effort with barely 40 seconds on the clock, Jack Masterson driving forward unopposed and his effort from distance was beaten away by Ben John. Farms first chance fell to Marcus Day but his speculative free kick was held by Lewis Noice. The end to end was frantic after 10 minutes, first Farm got in to a great position in a 3 v 2 but a few sloppy passes and touches eventually forced Lewis Bamford wide and he could only find the home keeper. Barely 20 seconds later it was back to heroics from John in the Farm goal as Brett Willams was in but he was denied. The home side would get the breakthrough after a quarter of the game, George Colson allowed to travel down the right and his ball in led to some penalty box pinball with the ball eventually falling kindly to Ethan Taylor who couldn’t miss. The half hour mark saw the games defining moment, Lucas Vowles seized on a short back pass but after his tame effort was saved, Totton broke in numbers and Williams swept home to double the home sides lead. Day was a constant threat for the visitors and he was involved in two chances for Farm to get back in it, first his drilled free kick from wide somehow evaded every yellow shirt and then he dropped his shoulder superbly but his curling effort was held by Noice. As the fourth official held up for one additional minute, Totton broke again and killed the game, Silvana Obeng leading the counter before the ball sat up for Williams who crashed a superb volley to get his second.
The home side came out hungry for more and had two half chances to add more gloss to the scoreline. First Liam Robinson drove forward and hit a shot that John was at full stretch to tip wide and then the keepers only poor clearance fell to Fred Read who attempted the chip from 40 yards but John redeemed himself with an acrobatic tip over. After the hour Farm were in full control, their best chance coming again from Day, his trickery and low cross was turned towards goal by Mike Bryant but Noice spread himself well before Vowles saw his own goal bound effort blocked on the line. The home side were always dangerous on the counter, the ever impressive Williams chased his own touch through before being brought down by John who once again redeemed himself, brilliantly down to save the resulting free kick from creeping in the far corner. Substitute Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist was making a real difference in attack, he was involved three times in a counter with the latter touch only able to drag wide. Farm to their credit kept going deep into the game, Mason Winter ending a lovely patient build up before stinging the keepers hands and then Jay Adams recycled the ball from a deep corner before finding Day who dipped inside but once again could only find the comfortable hands of Noice.