BIDEFORD 2 AFC TOTTON 1

Bideford picked up a much needed win on Saturday thanks to a Ryan Turner double to beat AFC Totton and end a run of four straight defeats.
Sean Joyce made changes to the starting line-up with a debut in goal for Liam Kingston, the return to the club of Max Smallcombe and a first start for captain Ben Carter since the opening day of the season.

The first opportunity of the afternoon fell for Bideford as Alex Cull dropped a Billy Tucker cross at the feet of Turner but a great saving challenge prevented Turner finding the net on 14 minutes. Toby Down headed over from the resulting corner. Totton’s first sight of goal came two minutes later as David Allen headed wide from a corner.

Turner played a really good ball through to Charlie Lawrence in the 28th minute but the young winger was denied by Cull and the Totton goalkeeper made another good save to keep out Turner’s strike from Craig Duff’s flick on. In between those chances Totton came very close to taking the lead themselves as Craig Feeney skewed a shot across the face of goal which just evaded Liam Callaghan in the middle.

The Robins opened the scoring in the 41st minute as Lawrence’s superb reverse pass was finished expertly by Turner with a low right footed shot on the turn into the bottom corner. Duff almost doubled Bideford’s advantage with a deflected shot over the bar right on half time.

The Robins piled on the pressure in the second half as Lawrence saw a powerful shot tipped over by Cull before Turner curled a lovely effort just over and Ben Palmer was also kept out by Cull after being found by Tucker. Tucker then bamboozled a couple of Totton players with a brilliant touch to bring the ball down from the sky which led to a super strike heading for the top corner but for another great save by Cull.

Then, as so often happens, Totton equalised completely against the run of play with their first chance of the half thanks to a great driven shot from Oliver Bradley which beat Kingston low to his right. The goal gave the visitors belief they could win the game and they really should’ve been in front after Lewis Beale raced through before cutting inside onto his right and blazing a great chance over the top.

The Robins regained control in the final ten minutes and got the winner three minutes from the end. Lawrence caused problems on the left and his ball across the box found Tucker on the far side of the box. Tucker cut inside a defender and struck a shot which Cull got a hand to and just about stopped crossing the line before Turner followed up to slam the ball home.

It could’ve been even better for Bideford as the excellent Cull made another good save to deny Tucker who had broken away down the right and the Totton stopper had to be alert to keep out Smallcombe’s blast from 25 yards moments later.

Bideford: Kingston, Sampson, T Down, Mayne, Palmer, Lawrence, Carter, Smallcombe, Tucker, Duff (Waldy 73), Turner. Subs not used: Squire, Heeney, Reed, Taylor.

Goals
Bideford: Turner 41, 87
AFC Totton: Bradley 67

Attendance: 203