AFC TOTTON paid their respects to the late Alf Peckham with an impeccably observed minute’s silence at the Testwood Stadium today.

Alas, they were unable to honour their much-missed trustee and former chairman with the sort of performance – or result – that would have made him proud.

On paper, it should have been a stroll in the spring sunshine against a Burnham side sitting one off the foot of the Southern One South & West.

But Totton never got going in the first half and a 34th-minute Michal Gorniak header condemned them to a 1-0 defeat.

Having survived a scare when Mark Lilley blocked Joseph Jarra’s effort on the line, Totton were undone moments later from an innocuous free-kick conceded by Liam Hibberd. Paulo Cicero delivered for Gorniak to nod the only goal of the game past keeper Steve Mowthorpe.

That was the low point of a first-half performance branded “the worst I’ve seen from us for a long time” by Stags boss Steve Hollick.

Totton were better after the break, but a series of key calls went against them.

Defender Pat Wilson bundled the ball home just after the hour, but the referee overturned his original decision and ruled it out for a foul on goalkeeper Cesare Vernazza.

And when Mike Gosney twice had trademark free-kicks clearly tipped over by Vernazza and no corner was awarded, Stags boss Steve Hollick was ordered from the dugout for venting his frustration.

Totton went ever closer to equalising, including a Nathaniel Sherborne effort that hit the post.

But when 'keeper Mowthorpe went up for Totton's final free kick of the match, all he got was a yellow card for his involvement in a melee.

Hollick reflected: “I know I let myself down getting sent off, but it was frustration about the decisions that went against us when we were trying to build up a bit of pressure to get the equaliser.

“Gos had two free-kicks tipped over in quick succession but goal-kicks were given and there was a blatant handball five minutes into the second half with the ref standing three yards away.

“Fair play to Burnham, they worked hard. In the first half we didn’t have the quality to break them down and in the second half we were thwarted by the referee all the time and couldn’t get a foothold in the game.

“But we shouldn’t have been in a position where we were relying of refereeing decisions. We lacked quality today and, with the players we’ve got, that’s unacceptable.

“The lads need to look at themselves. When we needed the quality, we didn’t have it.”

It was Totton’s second defeat on the bounce, leaving them 13th, and a big improvement is needed away at Shortwood United on Tuesday (7.45).

*Alf Peckham’s funeral will take place at 1.15pm on Friday, April 15, at East Chapel, Southampton Crematorium. All are welcome to the Testwood Stadium afterwards.