AFC Totton slumped to their first loss at the Testwood Stadium since early November in the Southern League Division One South & West with a 2-0 defeat to Shortwood United on Saturday.

It had been six games since the Stags lost 1-0 to Wimborne Town but they came undone to two goals against the run of play on an afternoon where they couldn’t get any kind of rhythm.

Marley Thomas and towering striker Lewis Sommers were on target in the first half for the away team in this eighth v ninth encounter, which could prove important in the chase for play-off spots.

Totton’s best chance fell to them in the dying seconds as Billy Lowes’s powerful strike from 12 yards was blocked on the line by Nick Hancock.

Manager Steve Riley made two changes with new signing Jack Hoey coming in at no10 for his debut for Mike Gosney – out due to injury (back spasms) – and Nathan Hurst starting in place of Nathaniel Sherborne up front.

After a bright start that saw Hoey drag just wide after some good Stags build-up play, the home-side were undone by one glorious ball and then one sublime touch on 13 minutes.

Wood’s Josh Egan bypassed the entire Totton defence with an excellent ball over the top from just past halfway.

And Thomas – whose pace haunted the New Forest team all afternoon – slotted home, after he’d met said pass with a touch that left keeper Steve Mowthorpe stranded in the box and the goal open.

After that Totton’s good start turned to frustration as play didn’t flow on a sticky Testwood pitch, with several through balls getting slowed by the surface.

It started to flow better with ten left of the opening 45 minutes as Stuart Mott forced a save from Tom King in the Wood net from Liam Gilbert’s free-kick to the back-post.

But despite Totton’s increasing pressure Shortwood shocked Riley’s men on the brink of the interval.

As the influential Gilbert laid strewn on the floor writhing in pain after a hard challenge during a Stags attack, beastly forward Sommers robbed full-back Jamie Blackburn of the ball and ran through to slot home 2-0.

The Stags inched ever closer to a breakthrough that would have handed them a way back into the game after the break.

Captain Rob Flooks thundered one in from range, which was held well by King, and Hurst drilled a low ball into the box that narrowly evaded a vital touch that would have sent it into the net.

The Gloucestershire outfit nearly took a 3-0 lead as Egan fizzed an 18-yard free-kick just wide of the right post on 65 minutes before Jake Rawkins, on as a sub, briefly roused the home crowd with an exciting run and cross down the left.

Att: 265 AFC Totton: Steve Mowthorpe, Liam Hibberd (c), Jamie Blackburn (Jake Rawkins 68), Stuart Mott, Rob Flooks, Liam Gilbert, Zac Mouland (Taylor Edwards 73), Billy Lowes, Craig Feeney, Jack Hoey, Nathan Hurst (James Jennings 61). Subs not used: Ellis White, Joe Maxwell.