LOUIS Langdown says there is no need for “anything drastic” at AFC Totton to keep them in the Southern One South & West.

Although the Stags remain third-to-bottom on goal difference after yesterday’s gutsy 1-0 home triumph over Paulton Rovers – their first league win of Langdown’s short reign –  they have opened an eight-point gap on the bottom two.

And their exuberant mix of youth and experience suggests they have enough about them to stay up.

If Dave Allen’s deflected 77th-minute winner wasn’t enough of a Christmas boost for the Stags, news that Wantage Town, the team directly below them, had been bulldozed 9-0 by Taunton, certainly got the festive spirit flowing, as did rock-bottom Bridgwater losing 3-1 to Salisbury.

Totton have a key meeting at the club on Wednesday when they hope to elect a new chairman, vice-chairman and treasurer following the recent resignations of Andy Straker and Roy Edwards.

Balancing the books is, as ever, a huge challenge for the Stags whose overheads are high at the Testwood Stadium.

But Langdown proved once again on Saturday that you don’t need to break the bank to bring quality players to the club.

Midfielder Alfy Whittingham, son of former Pompey striker Guy, boosted the Stags' young contingent of loan players to five, joining fellow Havant & Waterlooville pair Charlie Searle and Marley Ridge in the starting line-up along with AFC Bournemouth duo Ben Cooper and Connor York.

Whittingham was outstanding on his debut, playing in a more advanced role behind striker Nathaniel Sherborne, and Langdown pointed out: “He costs half the money and he covered so much ground.

“Alfy, Marley, Ben and Connor are all young lads who bring energy to the side and will try and pass the ball. We can afford for them to make a few mistakes this year and next year they’ll be all the better for it.

“Whatever comes out of Wednesday’s meeting, all we can do is concentrate on the team and make sure the players are well organised and supported.

“There’s no need for anything drastic.

“Wantage lost 9-0 and when they look at our result, that is going to hurt.

“This win gives us something positive to take into the Christmas period.”

Totton produced a performance brimming with energy and Allen’s well-struck winner, which looped in off young Whittingham’s back, was the least he deserved having seemingly had a perfectly good goal ruled out earlier.

The former Winchester City striker/midfielder, revelling in his new role as a makeshift centre-back, was here, there and everywhere, making crucial interventions at the back and utilising his natural attacking instincts whenever possible.

With 24 minutes gone, Totton’s players – Allen included – were convinced his downward header from Nick Watts’s corner had crossed the line via the post, but the officials ruled it had not gone over.

“It went in off the post and it was over the line. Even their lad said afterwards that it was a goal,” Langdown confirmed.

“We created so many chances, which we’ve done before, but today we got over the line for a win and it feels really good.

“There’s a long gap now to the next game and training can be nice and bubbly."

Star man Mike Gosney missed Saturday's game while on a pre-arranged trip to New York but is due back for the Christmas programme.

AFC TOTTON: Charlie Searle, Connor York, Ian Oliver, Neil Williams, Jack Vallis, Dave Allen, Nick Watts, Marley Ridge, Nathaniel Sherborne, Alfy Whittingham, Ben Cooper (Ashley Jarvis, 71). Unused subs: Adam Wilde, Sam Roberts, Dan Munday, Charlie Gunson.

Referee: Matthew Lee.

Attendance: 216.