STEVE Hollick is hoping the pain of Saturday’s dismal FA Cup exit will fuel a response from his AFC Totton players when they travel to Winchester City tomorrow (Monday, 3pm) in the Southern One South & West.

The Stags’ win-less start to the season continued at Wicor Rec where they were dumped out of the Cup 3-1 by Sydenhams Premier Division outfit Portchester, making it five defeats out of six games for Hollick’s men.

“It’s the first time I’ve been back to the dressing room and seen it visibly hurting the lads,” Hollick confessed. “It’s a massive kick in the n*** for all of us. I’d hoped this match would be a springboard for us, but our pride’s been dented today.

"It’s not a nice feeling, but I’m hoping we can turn that hurt into a positive for Monday and put on a good performance against Winchester.

“Credit to Portchester, Graham Rix and Steve Johnson have got them well drilled, but we’re a Southern League side and should have looked like one, but we didn’t.”

Totton conceded inside the first 20 minutes for a fourth game running when Jason Parish escaped the attentions of Luke Dempsey and kept his cool to slip the ball beyond ’keeper Steve Mowthorpe.

The Stags responded positively and got the equaliser three minutes before half-time - Nick Watts breaking free down the right and crossing for Neil Williams to steer the ball back across goal into the far netting.

But instead of coming out all guns blazing after the break, Totton lost their impetus and, after Mowthorpe had pulled off a stunning save to deny Alex Baldacchino, he was beaten by the same player with 20 minutes to go – James Roden conceding a free kick which the ex-Sholing striker expertly curled home.

Nathaniel Sherborne had a goal ruled out for offside as Totton pressed for an equaliser. But then, in the dying moments, Mowthorpe pushed up to try and get on the end of a couple of corners and, as Portchester broke, Miles Everett found the open goal from distance.

Hollick is all too aware that it’s not the start to the season the club had wanted, admitting: “I’m not sure when a problem turns into a crisis, but we’re getting there and we need to turn it around.

“We’ve got to keep believing in what we’re trying to do and we need the fans on our side. The fans aren’t happy and I’ve no grumbles with that, but it won’t help if they’re getting on our backs. There’s no lack of desire from the players.

“I’m not a big fan of local derbies and playing Winchester is probably really bad timing, but we’ve done our homework and we’ll try and keep their stars quiet and impose ourselves on the game.”

Totton’s troubles are exacerbated by an injury to last season’s top scorer Craig Feeney who has a badly swollen ankle.

“He had a scan that came back fine and it’s not a stress fracture, but his ankle has ballooned and we had to rest him on Saturday,” said Hollick, who was also without star man Mike Gosney (bad back).