FORMER Eastleigh youngster Tony Lee gave AFC Totton boss Louis Langdown an anniversary present to remember.

The on-loan Poole Town hitman weighed in with a first-half hat-trick as the Stags emerged handsome 3-1 winners at a soggy Shortwood United in the Evo-Stik South West.

It was the perfect gift for Langdown almost a year to the day since he took charge of the Testwood Stadium outfit.

Yet, for a few worrying minutes at half-time, there was a fear that Lee’s heroics might all have been in vain.

“It was so wet that the referee carried out a 20-minute inspection at half-time,” said Langdown.

“Of course their players wanted it off but, credit to their manager, he said we need to play it and, luckily, the game continued.

“There was no standing water, but it looked more like a rugby pitch than a football pitch at the end. I wouldn’t like to be their groundsman!”

The game kicked off in driving rain and Totton took just five minutes to go ahead when Craig Feeney’s run and cross set up Lee to finish at the back stick.

Ten minutes later he was at it again, driving into the box and slipping the ball past Shortwood keeper George Burton.

Totton’s third, after 22 minutes, was set up by former AFC Bournemouth duo Curtis Young and Connor York down the right. The overlapping York was fouled, but didn’t go down, instead producing a terrific cross for hat-trick hero Lee to head in.

It could have been five, but Alfy Whittingham had an effort cleared off the line and Feeney lifted the ball over Burton only to see his shot come back off the bar.

Instead, it was Shortwood who found the net on 35 minutes when Jordan Morris got in behind the Stags defence and crossed for skipper Adam Price to bury from close range.

Both sides had their chances in the second half, but the score remained 3-1.

“Tony Lee owed us a few goals and we’re hoping it’s not just a one-game wonder,” smiled Langdown.

“To be fair, his goals were excellent and so was the all-round play that set them up.”

Totton, up to sixth, have a chance to test themselves against Premier opposition on Tuesday (7.45pm) when Weymouth visit the Total Branding Community Stadium in the BigFreeBet.com Challenge Cup.

With 18 fit players at his disposal, Langdown has allowed striker Nimes Pina to dual-sign for Sydenhams Premier title hopefuls Blackfield & Langley.

“Pina will be with us Tuesday, but he needs games and we don’t have a reserve side,” the boss explained.