ANDY Darnton will have revenge in mind when he takes his third game as AFC Totton caretaker boss at Wimborne Town on Saturday in the FA Trophy preliminary round.

It was a 6-1 league mauling by the Magpies on Tuesday of last week that put paid to Steve Hollick’s reign as Stags manager.

Since stepping up from the assistant’s role, Darnton has overseen a 1-1 South & West draw with Yate followed by an unlucky Southern League Cup exit against Winchester when the Stags rallied from 2-0 down only to lose to a late penalty.

“The lads have responded since I came in and they seem to be applying themselves correctly. We need to build on those two performances,” said Darnton.

“Clawing back to 2-2 against Winchester showed a bit of character and we’ve got to go to Wimborne positive. They spanked us 6-1 and we need to address that. We’ve got players in the team who are match winners.

“It’s a big game for the club with £2,500 prize money at stake.”

The general feeling around the Totton camp is that the squad should be challenging towards the top of the Southern One South & West rather than languishing near the bottom.

But Darnton, a vastly experienced Southern League player in his day, stressed: “Ability is one thing, but it’s about passion as well. There has to be the work-rate to go with it."

Applications for the vacant manager's job are well into double figures and Darnton is taking things one game at a time.

“The club have said they want me involved in some shape or form and I’m happy to continue along those lines. Whatever will be will be,” he said.

Forwards Ashley Jarvis (hamstring) and Nathaniel Sherborne (knee) are injury doubts for Saturday, but defender Jack Vallis should be okay after requiring stitches from a clash of heads against Yate.

*Salisbury – runaway 10-0 League Cup winners over Dorchester in midweek – open their Trophy campaign with a tasty home tie against South & West leaders Hereford.