AFC TOTTON’S Charlie Gunson bore no ill will about the abandonment of yesterday’s ‘water polo’ match against Bideford – even though his goal will be forever scrubbed from the record books.

Having skipped through the puddles to fire the Stags into an early lead in torrential rain at the Testwood Stadium, the 19-year-old saw that lead snuffed out in farcical conditions by Bideford’s Sean Downing six minutes before the break.

Ultimately, though, neither goal will count after referee Philip Staynings sensibly called a halt to proceedings after 45 hilarious and occasionally concerning minutes of slapstick action in the Southern One South & West.

Decent football was always going to be a big ask on a pitch so waterlogged that, come the break, the players could have done with flippers and snorkels to negotiate their way back to the shelter of the half-time dressing room!

Yet somehow Gunson managed to create a goal of beauty, weaving his way through a sodden-footed Bideford defence and getting enough weight on his shot to make it past the small lake in the visitors’ six-yard box.

Given the slippery surface, there was only one way to celebrate as Gunson, closely followed by his jubilant teammates, dived and skidded Klinsmann-like towards the corner flag.

It was quite a goal given the monsoon-like conditions, but Gunson was honest enough to admit afterwards that he had not intended to go it alone.

“I tried to pass the ball to someone, but it caught in a puddle, so I took it past a player, saw the keeper had his legs open and just slotted it through,” he confessed. “It helped that it didn’t get stuck in another puddle!

“It was one of those games today that you’ll never forget.

“It was a bit of fun for us players and the crowd, but safety had to come first.

“The other team were keen to get the game on (having travelled from Devon) but a few of the lads asked the ref as we were shaking hands ‘are you going to call it off’?

“At half-time Louis (Langdown, Totton manager) came and spoke to us and, as players, we felt it was a bit unsafe out there. One bad tackle could have resulted in a broken leg. The safety of the players had to come first.

“It’s a shame my goal won’t count but I enjoyed the celebration. You’ve got to use the opportunity while it’s there!”

Had the 1-1 scoreline stood, the point would have made 100 cent sure of Southern One South & West survival for 20th-placed Totton.

As it transpired, they didn’t need it. Despite twice taking the lead away to newly-crowned champions Hereford, second-to-bottom Wantage lost 3-2 and will take the plunge with back-markers Bideford.

Langdown, who took over the Stags in difficult circumstances in mid-November, reflected: “It’s been a slog and a hard transition, but these are good lads we’ve got here.

“The remit was to stay in the league, so we’ll take it as a successful season. We’ve done it on a reduced budget and a change at the helm.”

That change involved Wayne Mew stepping in as chairman when Andy Straker was unable to continue due to ill health.

Mew, who last week confirmed that Langdown and right-hand man Adam Wilde would be in charge for next season, smiled: “It’s fantastic to be safe – now we’ll start looking towards next season.

“We made the announcement about Louis early so we could settle down, start looking for players and hopefully move the club on."

AFC TOTTON: Pat O’Flaherty, Connor York, Ian Oliver, Neil Williams, Harry Medway, Dave Allen, Curtis Young, Charlie Gunson, Nathaniel Sherborne, Alfy Whittingham, Matt Bozier. Subs (not used): Sam Roberts, Nathan Jones, Callum Hellyar, Adam Wilde, Oshea McDonald.

Referee: Philip Staynings.