KEEP performing and the results will come.

That is the statement AFC Totton club coach Dave Rowland has issued ahead of their Southern League South & West showdown against Shortwood United at the Testwood Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

Rowland and goalkeeping coach Jamie Cotton took charge of the Stags for their 2-2 draw with Wantage Town on Tuesday night while manager Steve Hollick and assistant Lee Burch were both away.

The former Hythe & Dibden coach, who joined the club with Burch and Cotton after last season ended, has explained that Totton’s new-look team are still gelling together and results will follow with more match practice as a unit.

"We’ve been really pleased with how pre-season has gone, but we’re learning things about us and our players all the time, so there’s still room for further development," Rowland said.

"We just need to keep putting the same performances in, if we do that, the results will come."

The Wantage draw followed on from a 3-2 defeat at Taunton Town on the opening day of the South & West.

Rowland is keen to get a first victory under their belts ahead of the visit of the Gloucestershire side, who won their opening match 4-1 against Wimborne and then lost 2-1 to Swindon Supermarine midweek.

Hollick will return to the dugout for the Wood match, in which the Stags will don their new home kit for a second time after christening it on Tuesday evening.

"I’m not going to put any points targets on anything, but we just need to get that first win," Rowland said.

"There is pressure and expectation because we’ve had a good pre-season and we’ve got some real quality in that changing room.

"That’s the disappointing thing on Saturday and on Tuesday.

"With the quality we’ve got maybe we should have got more than the one point out of those two games."

Free-scoring Winchester meanwhile travel to Yate Town tomorrow, hoping to continue their hot streak of early form.

Striker Warren Bentley has scored nine in two games for City, who sit second behind Cinderford in the fledgling South & West table.

Bentley netted five in their opening match 7-2 win over Bridgwater Town and then four in the 6-5 triumph at Wimborne.