GLOUCESTERSHIRE proved an unhappy hunting ground for AFC Totton and Salisbury yesterday in the Southern One South & West.

While Salisbury were upstaged 3-1 at Yate Town, dropping them to ninth, Totton plunged into the bottom two after a 2-1 defeat at Shortwood United.

Trailing 1-0 at the break, the Stags got back into it five minutes into the second half when Dave Allen was fouled and set-piece maestro Mike Gosney gloriously buried the free-kick.

But parity lasted just 15 minutes as star man Steve Davies netted his second of the afternoon to put the smile back on Shortwood faces.

“It was quite a close game,” reflected Hollick.

“We started slowly and first half we didn’t get into it, but second half we moved the ball a lot quicker and threw everything at them.

“Gos has scored with a lovely free-kick again and I felt we were good for a point at least.

“We were on top when they caught us with a sucker punch on the break.

“We rallied for the last 20 minutes and Ash (new signing Ashley Jarvis) came on and changed the dynamic a bit. He replaced Dan Munday, who had almost scored with a great diving header. Dan works ever so hard.”

While Hollick felt there were some plus points from the game, the hard facts are that Totton have banked just four points from eight league outings and desperately need a result at home to Wimborne Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).

After a strong start to 2016/17, Wimborne have slipped to eighth following Saturday’s 2-1 home defeat by Mangotsfield.

Totton's ex-Magpies defender Pat Wilson, unavailable on Saturday, will hopefully be back to face his old club. With Dylan Knight needing more time to get over a shoulder problem, dual-signed Gosport Borough midfielder Connor May sat on the Stags’ bench at Shortwood.

Salisbury dominated the first half at Yate, but went in just one goal up after Sutton loan striker Tommy Wright had headed in Kieran Parselle’s 33rd-minute cross for his tenth goal of the season.

They paid the price as home skipper Charlie Hitchings and Kyle Thomas turned the game on its head in the first 15 minutes of the second half.

Tom Whelan’s dismissal for his part in a melee that also saw two home players yellow-carded handicapped Salisbury, but they missed more chances before Jack Ball notched Yate's third.

Salisbury host 17th-placed Didcot Town on Tuesday (7.45pm).