AFC Totton suffered a fifth successive defeat despite dominating the first half at Shortwood United.

The Stags should have led at the break but lost 2-0 in Gloucestershire after conceding second-half goals to Josh Egan and Ross Langworthy.

“For 30 minutes in the first half, we played better than we have done for a couple of months,” said manager Steve Riley.

“Our quality on the ball was outstanding and we created a hatful of chances without having any luck in front of goal.

“You could tell why they are unbeaten at home, they have a very experienced back five and defended ruthlessly.

“But there were a lot of positives for us. You start to worry when the performances are bad but that wasn’t the case, I can’t fault my players and Stuart Mott had an outstanding debut.” Centre-half Mott, who signed from Sholing last week, had chances to get his Totton career off to the perfect start with two headers in the opening five minutes, one of which was saved.

Shortwood goalkeeper Tom King also denied Totton full-backs Jamie Blackburn and Liam Hibberd from distance, before saving another Mott header.

Stags striker Craig Feeney fired over the bar from eight yards and had a penalty appeal turned down before Nathan Hurst struck a ferocious 20-yarder shot narrowly over.

Totton goalkeeper Steve Mowthorpe was hardly tested until the 27th minute, when he saved a low shot from Langworthy.

But a defensive slip allowed the home side to take a 49th-minute lead.

Ellis White lost possession and after a goal-line clearance by Jamie Blackburn, Egan fired in the opener.

Totton had chances to equalise. King saved from Hibberd and also tipped a Nathan Hurst header over the crossbar.

But Totton conceded again when a through ball found Langworthy, who lifted the ball over Mowthorpe in the 62nd minute.

Shortwood had other chances. Langworthy hit the far post, Liam Gilbert cleared a header off of the line and Mowthorpe saved a 30-yard free-kick from the impressive Egan.

But Totton finished strongly. American midfielder Kyle O’Brien had a wicked shot tipped wide and Stags sub Joe Maxwell’s firm header was cleared off the line.

Totton: Mowthorpe, Hibberd, Blackburn, Mott, White (Maxwell 75), Gilbert, Bullpitt (Jennings 69), O’Brien, Feeney, Mouland (Edwards 75), Hurst