City fight back for first home league win since March!

What better a way to start a “six-pointer” than score a goal after 77 seconds and that’s exactly how long it took Liam Eddy (pictured) to find the back of the AFC Totton net!

Joe Broad knocked a ball forward which Eddy raced to get on the end of, and although it looked as if the striker might have overdone his first touch, his lightening pace enabled him to get to the ball before the advancing Matt Fredericks and knock it around the ‘keeper and open the scoring.

Unfortunately though City couldn’t build on the brilliant start and in the 27th minute the contest was level again when George Branford was allowed the space to move forward with the ball and get in an unstoppable shot which finished up in the top right hand corner of Ollie Chenoweth’s goal.

After Cody Cooke had a goal-bound header blocked in the 42nd minute by a Totton defender, the White Tigers had to settle for it being all square at the break.

The visitors started the brighter in the second half as Jamel Branker saw his first shot go wide for a corner followed shortly after by his second attempt being blocked by skipper Paul Kendall.

City responded in the right way. Eddy continued to look lively as the former Helston striker was unlucky not to get a good enough touch on the ball to restore City’s lead, while Jamie Lowry couldn’t turn a Cooke right wing near post cross towards goal.

However those near misses looked as if they might be crucial when the visitors went in front just after the hour. Luke Roberts back flicked a corner towards goal which found a completely unmarked Branker who finished with ease.

City made their only substitution in the 68th minute when Neil Slateford came on for Olly Brokenshire.

Five minutes later the contest was level again with Eddy’s second of the night. A quick break saw Les Afful and Eddy combine with the latter racing towards goal and release a hot which squirmed in under the body of Fredericks.

And with City in the ascendency it wasn’t too long before the 295 attendance could celebrate taking the lead again for the second time on the night. Kendall rose above everyone else to powerfully head home a Jamie Lowry corner.

Both sides could have added to the score-line in the final quarter. A Chenoweth save, quickly followed by a Shane White block came to City’s rescue, while Slateford went close to getting on the end of a Cooke ball towards the far post after the midfielder had put in a mazy run across the edge of the Totton penalty area.

As the game went into stoppage time there was still time for the referee to show a second yellow to Broad, leaving the midfielder awaiting a ban, but with the final whistle coming seconds later, any disappointment was quickly forgotten as supporters, players and management could enjoy the team’s first home league win for almost eight months, taking in a run of 12 games.

CITY: Chenoweth; Tully, Kendall, Pugh, White, Cooke, Broad, Lowry, Brokenshire (Slateford 68), Afful, Eddy.
Subs (not used): Sims, Evans, Copp, Watson.

Red card (two yellows): Broad (90+3).

AFC TOTTON: Fredericks; Onoufriou (capt), Triggs (House 79), McCarthy, Flooks, Hibberd, Branker, Brandford, Moth, Roberts, Mouland (Edwards 82).
Subs (not used): Hurst, Ross, Hollick.

Yellow cards: Hibberd, Onoufriou.

Crowd: 295.