MATCH REPORT | AFC Totton 2 - 1 Hemel Hempstead Town

Written by Allan Mitchell

AFC Totton 2 Hemel Hempstead Town 1

Enterprise National League South

18/10/2025

Both sides came into this game after FA Cup victories that saw them both qualify for the First Round Proper. Totton had survived a tough trip to Truro where they won their replay on penalties but the Stags showed few signs of any fatigue after their midweek travels and looked the better side in the first half hour with The Tudors struggling to get going during this period. Boss Lee Allinson mentioned in his post match summery, saying he was disappointed with his sides poor start and that it ended up costing them the points.

Joe White | Photo Credit: Jemma Sear

It was the visitors who actually came close to opening the scoring in the 7th minute when George Williams cut inside before firing a shot across the face of the goal, the ball just drifting past the far post.

Ashley Clarke looked a constant threat for Stags in the opening exchanges and he had a couple of chances in quick succession. The first came when he fired a shot just over the bar and he followed that up just a minute later, forcing a good save out of Michael Johnson, Tudors keeper just managing to tip the ball round the post.

Totton continued to press and they took the lead on 12 minutes when Tyler Cordner rose above everybody to get on the end of a corner kick, his powerful header giving Johnson no chance.

As Hemel continued to look off the pace they were punished again when the lively Clarke took advantage of some sloppy defending before driving towards the goal line, despite the tight angle he drove a powerful shot in that Johnson got a hand to but couldn’t keep it out. The Hemel goalminder would have been disappointed to have conceded at his near post but it summed up how the Tudors had started the game.

Totton are a decent side defensively so it was always going a tough ask for the visitors to recover from a two goal deficit but it did seem to wake them from their slumbers and they rolled their sleeves up in an effort to get back into the game, dominating the remainder of the half.

Samuel Adenola almost reduced the deficit just before the interval when he got clear of the Totton back line, he controlled the ball first time before clipping it past the keeper only to see it slide agonisingly wide of the post.

Adenola repeated the move on 43 minutes when once again he evaded the offside trap and found himself in the clear, this time he squared the ball to Millar Matthews-Lewis who had a simple tap in to give the Tudors a foothold in the game right on half time.

Millar Matthews-Lewis receives the ball after his goal | Photo Credit: Jemma Sear

Hemel almost made the the perfect start to the second half when Matty Achuba did superbly to turn his marker on the edge of the area before racing clear, he looked odds on to score but Ryan Gosney closed him down and got a strong hand to his shot pushing it wide of the post.

Hemel huffed and puffed in an effort to get something out of the game but the Totton backline held firm whilst looking dangerous on the counter.

Luke Bennett could have extended the Stags lead when he managed to break clear but Johnson saved well one handed.

Hemel had the better of the remaining exchanges but were guilty of some poor finishing with several efforts flying high and wide. Millar Mathews-Lewis did strike the post but the linesman’s flag had been raised so it wouldn’t have counted if it had gone in. Joe White saw a late header go just wide and Ade Azeez fired a shot into the side netting. Despite Hemel’s dominance they just didn’t really test Gosney and the home side held on to take the three points.

Allinson said the game reminded him of the Dagenham defeat and it would serve as a reminder to his team that they can’t just turn up and expect to win games in this division.

He fully expects a response from his players when they have another tricky away fixture at Hampton and Richmond on Tuesday evening.

Tudors Man of the Match: Samuel Adenola

Hemel XI: Michael Johnson, Samuel Adenola, Kyle Ajayi, Jordan Thompson (Darion Dowrich) George Williams (Mauro Vilhete) Millar Mathews-Lewis (Finley Wilkinson) Joe White, Kyran Wiltshire, Mathew Achuba (Jake Gray) Jevani Brown (Ade Azeez) Devante Stanley.

Subs not used: Trae Cook-Appiah, Charlie Rowan.

Lee Allinson thanks the fans | Photo Credit: Jemma Sear