WHEN Louis Langdown was unveiled as AFC Totton boss on November 15 last year, the club was beset with problems.

But what a difference 12 months has made.

Basement struggles are surely now thing of the past for this hungry, young Stags side.

Their near-perfect home record of five wins from six league games ties with leaders Taunton Town as the best in the Evo-Stik South West.

And, with Swindon Supermarine, they share the meanest defensive stats of just 13 goals conceded.

The Stags head to 20th-place Shortwood United on Saturday looking to make it four clean sheets in a row in league and cup.

And much to Langdown’s amusement, he now has choices in the centre-back department with fit-again Dave Allen having got through the full 90 minutes of Tuesday’s 2-0 Russell Cotes Cup win over Christchurch.

“We’ve got the two Jacks, Smith and Barker, Dave and Callum Chugg vying for two spots if we play 4-4-2 – it’s very unlike AFC Totton!" Langdown smiled.

“I’m not used to making decisions – they usually just present themselves!

“It’s possible (loanee) Jack Barker may be taken from us shortly. He’s training with Aldershot’s first team and might end up travelling with them. But he’s here for that reason, to accelerate his learning curve, and at least we’ve got able replacements.”

With no fresh injuries to report following last Saturday’s impressive 4-0 home win over Mangotsfield, Langdown plans to name an unchanged side at Shortwood.

“If the lads do well, they keep the shirt. They’ve all bought into that and it’s the way it should be,” said the boss.

“Someone mentioned the other day that I'd been manager for a year and we sat and looked back at where we were then to where we are now. It’s unbelievable. Time flies when you’re having fun!

“Right now every time we turn up, it’s a happy place to be.”