Chelmsford stay unbeaten after 13 league games with a 3–1 win at Totton

Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Roger Ashenden

Chelmsford City won 3–1 at AFC Totton on Saturday and remain the only unbeaten team in the league after 13 games, with four wins and nine draws. Olopade and two goals from Jack Barham, all before half-time, did the damage.

Chelmsford’s own report said Olopade’s shot from the edge of the box “hit the inside of the post, slipped past the keeper’s hand and fell into the net” in the 17th minute. Barham “never gave up chasing” Nathan Ralph’s long ball, according to the report, “nicking it away from Gosney and tapping it into an empty net” for the second in the 26th minute, and then “calmly slotted past the keeper and into the net” for the third in the 42nd. The BBC has Totton’s reply from Ollie Godziemski at 90+4, which Chelmsford’s report called “little more than a consolation”.

The Non-League Paper said Chelmsford “maintained their unbeaten start to the league season, inflicting the damage in a one-sided first half”. Totton made three changes at half-time and “came out for the second half with more fight”, the report said.

Manager Mark Cooper made one change from the side that won 1–0 at Dover on Tuesday, with Rhys Browne in for Lyle Taylor “after Lyle Taylor picked up an injury at Dover”, according to the club. The club said City had “made it two wins in a week”.

Chelmsford are 12th on 21 points from 13 games, three points behind seventh-placed Dorking Wanderers, who have 24. Nine draws is the most in the division. Only the champions are promoted automatically, with second to seventh going into the play-offs and the bottom four relegated. Truro City lead on 30 points, Maidstone United have 29 and Ebbsfleet United and Salisbury have 28.

They have scored 21 goals and conceded 12, which is the joint fourth-best defence alongside Truro. Their last six league results, oldest first, are two draws, a win, a draw and two wins, the draw being a 3–3 home draw with Tonbridge Angels on Saturday 24 October. They have won one of five at home, for seven points, and three of eight away, for 14.

The next three league games are at home. Farnham Town visit on Monday 2 November at 7.45pm, Farnborough on Saturday 7 November and Ebbsfleet on Monday 9 November, also at 7.45pm. Chelmsford are then at Telford in the FA Trophy second round on Saturday 14 November, at Walton & Hersham on Saturday 21 November and at home to Maidstone on Monday 23 November.

Billericay Town and Ebbsfleet have also played 13 games, Truro and Salisbury 14. Farnham, who lost 1–0 at Dover on Saturday, are ninth on 23 points.

Totton, the beaten side, are 18th on 16 points, five above the relegation zone.