AFC TOTTON 2 DIDCOT TOWN 1.

AFC TOTTON’s relegation fears are fast becoming a thing of the past.

Charlie Gunson’s second-half winner made it six points out of the last six for the resurgent Stags who overcame Didcot Town 2-1 in the Southern One South & West at the Testwood Stadium this afternoon.

The first opening arrived on seven minutes when, following good work from AFC Bournemouth loanee Curtis Young on the right, Nathaniel Sherborne set his sights on the far bottom corner.

He curled the ball to perfection, but visiting keeper Leigh Bedwell read it well and clawed it away for a corner.

Five minutes later the Stags’ pressure was rewarded as they got their noses in front.

Young was involved again, playing in overlapping full-back Connor York whose delivery ricocheted into Sherborne’s path and, amid the scramble, Didcot were penalised for handball.

SHERBORNE stepped up to take the penalty and, although Bedwell parried it, the ball ran loose and the Totton No 9 reacted sharpest and tucked it away.

It is no exaggeration to say that 1-0 could easily have been 3-0 come the half-hour mark.

Young’s driving run panicked the visitors and Alfy Whittingham almost capitalised with a shot just wide.

Then York’s delivery from the right was met by Sherborne’s dangerous downward header which Bedwell managed to turn away for a corner.

With Totton all over their Oxfordshire guests, Sherborne hit the outside of the post from a tight angle after rounding Bedwell, who had charged out of his goal.

Didcot’s only sniff of a chance to that point had been a 13th-minute shot wide by Ben Whitehead and, when they pushed forward again on 32 minutes, Totton broke quickly with Young launching the ball over the top to Sherborne who dragged a decent opportunity past Bedwell's left-hand post.

But what should have been a comfortable lead for the Stags disappeared on 36 minutes when Didcot equalised out of the blue.

Finding himself in space towards the right corner of Totton’s area, George JEACOCK let fly with an angled drive that clipped the woodwork on its way in.

In the 44th minute Adam Wilde crossed deep from the left for Totton and Whittingham headed behind at the far upright.

Half-time: AFC TOTTON 1 DIDCOT TOWN 1.

Totton picked up the tempo again right from the start of the second-half with Ian Oliver and Wilde each forcing corners.

The Stags looked well worthy of a second goal which eventually arrived on 56 minutes, unsurprisingly manufactured down the right.

The excellent York played in Young whose low cross worked its way across the six-yard box for Charlie GUNSON to slot home for 2-1.

On 59 minutes the Stags withdrew Whittingham and introduced former Wimborne Town hotshot Mark Gamble, who has re-signed for the club after a long injury lay-off.

But, with a strong breeze now at their backs, it was Didcot who went up through the gears, forcing a smart double save from Charlie Searle just after the hour.

First the Totton 'keeper pushed over and awkward cross by Whitehead that held up in the wind and, from the subsequent corner, he safely claimed Stuart Cattell’s header.

The opposing No 8s then had a chance apiece - Didcot’s ex-Saint Callum McNish firing wide from a corner before Gunson’s high finish failed to match his neat footwork on the edge of the box.

With Gunson’s confidence growing, he crossed well from the left but, under pressure, Gamble couldn’t get any power behind his header.

Searle – making his farewell appearance on loan from Havant & Waterlooville – made solid saves from McNish and Whitehead before a mass pushing a shoving bout broke out as Didcot tried to retrieve the ball to take a quick corner.

Three players were booked in the aftermath, including Totton’s Dave Allen.

Louis Langdown's Stags had some serious defending to do in stoppage time, but they kept their heads and held strong for a richly deserved 2-1 victory that leaves them 14 points clear of the drop zone.