As we know the matches come thick and fast at this time of year. With just a short break we head to the Snows Stadium to take on promotion hopefuls AFC Totton.
Dolphins’ fans will have been pleased with the Boxing Day clash with Dorchester where we came away with a very hard-earned point. Going behind on the stoke of half time no doubt changed the team talk but a spirited second half performance was more than worthy of a point.
In many people’s eyes AFC Totton began the season as promotion favourites and they have pretty much lived up to that expectation. They have lost just the one match this season, 3-2 at Dorchester in September. Their home form has been outstanding with 8 wins and 2 draws from the 10 matches played. They sit in second place on the form table with nine wins and a draw from their last ten matches. Their Boxing Day win at Winchester City was their 14th of the season.
As if their strike force was not up to the challenge already, manager Jimmy Ball has added AFC Bournemouth youngster Ash Clarke to his squad on loan. Ball told the Totton website this week “Ash did really well for us earlier in the season. We’re blessed to have several very strong attacking options but Ash’s pace, directness and willingness to take players on added that little something different last time, and I think the fans were really warming to him”
Bal himself joined the Stags from EFL League Two club Stevenage, where he was the Assistant Manager to former Southampton player Paul Tisdale from January 2022. He is the son of England 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball.
We will meet up with some familiar faces of course, Tony Lee, who has scored nine league goals this term and Charlie Austin. Unfortunately, we will not get to see ex Dolphin favourite Declan Rose as he has sustained a very serious leg injury.
We go into the match on the back of two very much improved performances which will give us every hope that we can come away with something from this important game. Again, there will be just a short break before we visit neighbours Wimborne Town on New Year’s Day.
Enjoy the game
Neil Wellington
