STEVE RILEY is bowing out as manager of AFC Totton after nearly three years in charge.

Following talks with chairman Andy Straker during the week, Riley and his right-hand man Chris Ferrett agreed to step down by mutual consent and took their last game in charge against Mangotsfield United at the Testwood Stadium this afternoon.

Unfortunately the pair were unable to go out on a winning note.

Despite creating first-half chances galore the Stags were beaten 2-0, making it eight defeats and a draw in their last nine Southern One South & West games.

In an official statement released by the club this evening, chairman Andy Straker said: “I would like to thank Steve for all of the work he has done. He came into AFC Totton just as the club went into financial decline and has had to work under extremely difficult conditions. I believe this move will help both of us, a fresh start for all.

Straker continued: ”We will make a further statement in the near future over who will manage the first team for the remainder of the season. Time now to look forward and see if we can finish the season strongly. Then it is the hard work of being ready for next season.”

The Stags welcomed back goalkeeper Steve Mowthorpe from shoulder problems to face an in-form Mangotsfield side who had walloped Riley’s men 6-0 in Bristol in mid-December.

Totton made a decent start and were desperately unlucky not to take the lead in a concerted spell of pressure which began on 11 minutes.

First Mike Gosney, making his penultimate appearance on loan from Gosport Borough brought the best out of Joe Perry with a 25-yard free-kick that the keeper got both hands behind and turned away for a corner.

A succession of chances followed from Gosney set-pieces with Rob Flooks’ close-range blast from a corner blocked inside the six-yard box before fellow defender Stuart Mott clipped the post with a downward header which was subsequently cleared off the line by a panicked Mangos defence.

With the Stags continuing to press hard, Perry again saved his side with a smart save – this time repelling an excellent volley from Totton skipper Nathaniel Sherborne who had been played in by Craig Feeney.

At that stage it was all Totton but, typically of the way things have been going for the Stags of late, one defensive lapse cost them as the visitors stole the lead against the run of play.

The Mangos worked the ball into the box and the home defence stood off Karim Rendall who had time to hold it up and slip a simple pass to Steve DAVIES to rifle a first-time shot past Mowthorpe with 21 minutes gone.

Totton continued to play better football, however, and Sherborne was desperately unlucky not to level matters six minutes later when his clever chip from the right narrowly cleared Perry’s crossbar.

Nathan Hurst then pierced an uncertain looking Mangotsfield defence with a through ball to Gosney, but the Totton man ran into Perry who then dealt with Taylor Edwards’ follow-up.

Mowthorpe had little to do until the 39th minute when he turned away Lewis Hobbs’ free-kick.

The pendulum quickly swung back Totton’s way, however with right-back Liam Hibberd twice testing Perry in quick succession.

First he sent in an angled shot from the right which was blocked by the keeper and then he regained possession just outside the box and his low, driven effort was dropped by Perry, forcing covering defender Marcus Mapstone to intervene and thump it away for a corner.

The visitors had a more determined look to them after the break and a brave block by Flooks, who jarred himself in the process, prevented Matt Groves threatening goal from Rendall’s cushioned header.

Totton continued to compete well, but chances were fewer and further between in the second-half and the next big one fell to Mangos goalscorer Davies who volleyed just over from a tight angle on the right.

With Mangotsfield looking the likelier to score, the inevitable happened when they doubled their advantage on 69 minutes.

The ball was delivered from the right and Matt GROVES let it bounce on the edge of the box before expertly steering it past Mowthorpe.

Sherborne swerved a shot wide as Totton attempted to get back into it but the next save of note came from Mowthorpe as he got down sharply to take the sting out of sub Ryan Bath’s low blast.

Gosney had one last chance for Totton with a determined run to the right byline, but Perry blocked him out at the near post.