NATHANIEL Sherborne scored twice in eight second-half minutes to earn AFC Totton a deserved 2-0 Boxing Day win over Winchester City at the Testwood Stadium.

His well-taken goals, in the 56th and 64th minutes, secured a third successive Southern League victory for the Stags and dropped title-chasing City down to fifth in Division One South & West, writes Mike Vimpany.

Naturally enough, Sherborne was the headline maker, but Totton boss Steve Hollick lavished praise on his “outstanding” defence as a key factor.

“Everyone knows about the threat of Warren Bentley and Zach Glasspool, but I thought our two central defenders, Pat Wilson and James Roden, dealt with them really well,” he said.

“Defensively, I thought we were excellent.

“The last couple of weeks we’ve been really strong defensively and that gives us a good foundation to let the front guys do what they can do.

“Ian Oliver had a nice and steady debut and, just listening to him talking out on the park, you can see what experience he has. He’s a really good signing.”

Chances were at a premium throughout a start-start affair punctuated by fouls and stoppages but generally well managed by Sussex referee Dan Austin, who took the sting out of things with a yellow card for each side in the opening 20 minutes.

Austin holds a bizarre British record for the most number of sendings off in a game – he red carded EIGHT players in a Ryman League match in 2008!

Winchester, who began the Christmas derby three points behind weather-stricken leaders Cinderford Town, ought to have taken an 18th-minute lead.

Adam Tomasso and Bentley played a delightful one-two on the edge of the Totton box, but Tomasso curled what turned out to be City’s best chance of the game round the post.

Soon after, goalkeeper Brendan Norris sent Bentley free on the right – City’s 24-goal hit man picking out Tomasso, whose shot took a deflection for a corner.

Totton, minus hospitalised Marc Diaper (throat abscess) and the influential Jack Alexander (family illness), finished a goal-less first half on top.

Sponsor’s man-of-the-match Mike Gosney twice unleashed low shots, which the impressive Norris clinically handled low down.

Norris denied Sherborne soon after the restart, but he had little chance 11 minutes into the half when Nick Watts, eye-catching with his pacy runs in midfield, broke on the right and picked out Stags’ top scorer to give Totton the lead.

Eight minutes later, Sherborne’s 12th goal of the season secured Totton’s victory.

He fastened on to Gosney’s measured pass down the left channel and got to the ball just ahead of the advancing Norris to make it 2-0.

Shots flew high and wide of goal at either end after that – Jamie Thoroughgood heading against the Totton crossbar, but the referee’s whistle had already blown.

It was a cold turkey and bubble and squeak type of Boxing Day for Winchester City, who will be disappointed with their overall performance and, basically, creating only one real goalscoring opportunity.

“We’ve slipped off the pace in terms of the top places, so it’s important we bounce back next time out against Bashley – which I’m sure we’ll do,” reflected assistant manager Paul Wiltshire.

AFC Totton: Mowthorpe, Hibberd, Oliver, Williams, Roden, Wilson, Watts (Joryeff 88), Allen, Knight (Lilley 89), Sherborne, Gosney. Subs (unused): Hunt, Silvestre, Burgess.

Winchester City: Norris, Newton, Mills, Barron, Thoroughgood, Flooks, Benham, Tomasso, Glasspool (Hubbard 69), Bentley, Smeeton (Basker 59). Subs (unused): King, Fay, Santafe Vivo.

Referee: Dan Austin (West Sussex)

Attendance: 392