FOR the first time in three difficult months as AFC Totton manager, Louis Langdown was able to breathe easily for the full 90 minutes at Yate Town yesterday.

It was a must-win game for the Stags in their efforts to clamber away from the Southern One South & West drop zone and, from the moment Nathaniel Sherborne headed them in front with just over two minutes gone, it made for relaxed viewing from the dugout.

Charlie Gunson built on the lead on 47 minutes and, although James Harding briefly brought Yate back into it, Curtis Young capped a fine performance with a late strike for 3-1 as Totton bagged their first away goals since October.

Not only did the Stags succeed in opening an 11-point gap over the bottom two, but they leapfrogged both Yate and Slimbridge to climb to 18th.

“It was a game we couldn’t afford to lose and we never looked like we were going to,” said Langdown.

“It’s the most comfortable myself and the subs have felt on the bench.

“Even towards the end when Yate scored, I knew we were going to be fine.

“It’s the first victory we’ve ever had at Yate and, for people who’d questioned our ability to score away goals, we managed to get three!” he smiled.

“We wanted to drag the two clubs above us into the mix and we’ve done that. It's a psychological boost.

“When we’ve needed to get a result against one of the clubs down there we’ve managed to do it.

“We outfought Yate and out-passed them and I think even Yate would agree that we could have had six or seven.”

Totton’s early pressure forced a third-minute corner from which Sherborne lost his marker to head beyond ’keeper Harvey Rivers.

They started the second half in equally determined fashion as Gunson lost his marker before conjuring up a left-foot finish for 2-0.

With time ebbing away, Yate ramped up the pressure and got their reward through Harding on 84 minutes.

But Totton were not about to let their hard work unravel and it was fitting that Young – outstanding down the right along with fellow AFC Bournemouth loanee Connor York – should cap a well-earned victory.

“Curtis deserved his goal and it was good for Charlie Gunson too,” said Langdown. “Charlie’s got oodles of ability, it’s just getting him to do the right things.”

Totton return home on Saturday to face mid-table Didcot Town.