Game 24: Totton & Eling 3.2 Fareham Town (WESS PREM) 23.10.10

I was hoping to attend the first game at the new Totton & Eling ground at Testwood Park but that came took place last weekend while I was watching Georgia Bulldogs demolish Vanderbilt 43.0 between the hedges in a sunny Stanford Stadium. Luckily for me I didn't have too long to wait after our return to the UK to head down to the new complex.

The new ground is about five minutes drive from the A36 / M3 roundabout although I managed to overshoot the approach as there are no signs up yet. There are a couple of carparks so I navigated to a space in front of the impressive AFC Totton ground which is due to open during November. I wandered past that ground, along by some training pitches and round to the turnstiles of a more modest ground at the back.

Despite it's more modest appearance, I was impressed with the ground and facilities and the view across the lake next to the ground. There was plenty of cover along one side and behind one goal which I thought I might need to use with rain forecast for the afternoon. The hardstanding and railings were just at the right height for me and the toilet block was bright and clean.

I was surprised to pay £2 for the programme but it was a full colour edition with plenty of interesting information. I hadn't realised that old Salisbury favourite Kev Dawtry was managing Totton & Eling and ex-Southampton midfielder Jo Tessem was their coach.

When the game kicked off Fareham took the game to Totton. In the second minute a curving shot was on target and had to be tipped wide by the Totton keeper. Five minutes later and the visitors took the lead. Somehow a Fareham player was left unmarked centrally just outside the penalty area and when the ball came to him he calmly ran towards goal before slotting a low shot under the keeper.

Totton & Eling were playing the ball round well enough but far too often the ball was going to a player with his back to goal who then passed the ball backwards. They created a couple of chances in the 22nd minute. A cross went across the area but in front of the onrushing strikers before a backheel set up a shooting opportunity that the Fareham keeper was able to get to.

Fareham had given away a number of freekicks for heavy or late challenges during the half and gave away another one just outside the penalty area on the left side just before halftime. A Totton player lined up and hit a superb freekick over the wall and between the keeper and the left hand post to equalise. A real surprise given the balance of play before the goal.

Totton started the second half as they finished the first and came close to taking the lead in the 49th minute when a great move was finished with a chip over the keeper. The ball didn't drop down in time and hit the crossbar before going over. Two minutes later and a low Totton shot had to be palmed away before another effort was tipped over the bar.

From the resulting corner the ball was hit into the box and after three efforts on goal the ball was scrambled into the net past the melee of players on the goalline to give the home team the lead.

Fareham made a couple of substitutions to try and change the game only to see Totton extend their lead three minutes later. The ball was played out to the left side from a clearance and crossed into the middle. As the goalkeeper came out, a Totton player managed to get his foot to the ball and hit it past the keeper and in at the near post.

This seemed to wake up Fareham and they won a corner in the 62nd minute. This set up a shot that beat the keeper but was cleared from the line by a defender as the away supporters started to celebrate. They didn't have long to wait to celebrate a goal as a carbon copy of the first goal gave them a lifeline in the 69th minute.

Fareham continued to put more pressure on the Totton & Eling defence and saw a shot tipped past the post in the 80th minute. A penalty shout from the terraces was then ignored by the referee before a cross was an inch away from finding a Fareham boot two yards in front of an open goal.

There was a slight distraction as some drizzle fell, creating the start of a brightly coloured rainbow over the lake. Fareham put a header over the bar but almost conceded again in the last minute when Totton & Eling broke away only to put a shot over the bar when they should have made the game safe.