Late Walton goal leaves Totton facing a tough week

Monday 12 October 2026 · By Wendy Marchwood

AFC Totton’s difficult run continued on Saturday. Scott Rendell’s side lost 1–0 at home to Walton & Hersham in the Enterprise National League South, with Makise Evans scoring the only goal on 83 minutes.

Totton had their chances. Walton’s on-loan goalkeeper Dillon Addai was the visitors’ star man, and Totton also benefited when Walton’s Rovian Ostiana, just back from international duty with Aruba, missed an open goal. But Evans’ late strike settled the game, and Walton kept their first clean sheet of the season.

Goalkeeper Dylan Moody made his debut for Totton.

The defeat was Totton’s fourth straight league loss. They are now 20th in the table on ten points from ten games, with three wins, one draw and six defeats. They have scored only eight league goals, the joint-lowest total in the division, and conceded 16. Their last five league results read won, lost, lost, lost, lost.

The lack of goals is the main problem for Rendell. Totton’s defence has been reasonably solid, but without goals it is hard to win games, and four straight defeats have pulled them towards the bottom four. They are level on points with Chesham United and Braintree Town, and only two points above Hampton & Richmond Borough and Walton & Hersham.

There was one bright spot recently. On 3 October Totton won 5–3 at Basingstoke Town in the Hampshire Senior Cup to reach the third round. The goals in that game will give Rendell some encouragement that his side can find the net.

The week ahead is a busy one. Totton travel to Ebbsfleet United on Tuesday 13 October, kick-off 7.45pm, for a rearranged fixture. The game has not yet been played. Ebbsfleet are unbeaten in the league this season and have conceded only three goals in seven games, so it will be a very tough test.

Totton then travel to Folkestone Invicta on Saturday 17 October, before going to Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday 24 October. They are at home to Torquay United on Tuesday 27 October and Chelmsford City on Saturday 31 October.

That is a demanding run of fixtures, with three away games in a row. But Folkestone and Hemel are both in the bottom half of the table, so there are points to be won, and Totton have a game in hand on most of the clubs around them.

Rendell will want his side to be more clinical in front of goal. In a tight relegation battle every point matters. If Totton can find a way to score more goals, they have the defensive foundation to climb the table.

For now, though, the focus is on Tuesday’s trip to Ebbsfleet, and a result there would be a big boost for a side in need of one.