MANAGER Langdown described Tuesday’s 5-0 FA Cup replay win over Fleet Town as “one of the most complete performances I’ve seen from any AFC Totton side in a long time.”

Standards were high throughout the Stags line-up, but one player in particular stood out.

The man-of-the match award went to 18-year-old winger Curtis Young, who signed on a permanent basis during the summer after making a huge impact on loan from AFC Bournemouth last term.

Ironically Young’s latest eye-catching performance had come just three days after he had struggled to impress in a 3-3 draw on a bobbly, sloping surface at Fleet.

“I’m really pleased for Curtis. Some of the things he did on Tuesday were exceptional,” said Langdown. “He had three players around him at one stage and still came out with the ball.

“He was as poor as I’ve seen him at Fleet and I took him off after 70 minutes. It was not the Curtis we know.

“But I told him to stay confident and go again and, lo and behold, three days later he really came up trumps.

“He was up against probably Fleet’s best player, Adam Nditi, who’s been at Chelsea. For Curtis to be on fire going forward, you couldn’t ask for more – and we’ve got Toby Adekunle doing it on the other wing too.”

It’s not only Young’s playing ability that impresses the Totton boss, it’s his sunny disposition.

Getting released by Bournemouth cannot have been easy, but Langdown reckons that if anyone can come bouncing back and make a go of his career, it’s the likeable teenager from Dorset.

“Curtis’s attitude is great. He never stops smiling,” he said.

“As a Premier League club, Bournemouth can go out and buy players and it’s difficult for the home-grown boys.

“But if anyone can prove the doubters wrong, it’s Curtis.

“He had a trial at Bolton in the summer, which we kept quiet about, and got excellent feedback, but they didn’t take him in the end.

“But this kid will create his own headlines in the future,” Langdown predicted.

“He’s keen, he’s committed and he’s enjoying his football. His attitude is great.”

Totton are sitting pretty at the top of the Evo-Stik South West and the challenge this weekend is to stay there.

They host Slimbridge on Saturday at their newly-named Total Branding Community Stadium before Monday’s big bank holiday test at Salisbury (3pm).

Ian Oliver is still likely to be out with an ankle problem and Jack Masterton has also taken a kick on the ankle.

Dave Allen and Connor York are back on the bench after injury, while up-and-coming youngsters Harry Prisk and Alex Haynes have dual-signed for Wessex outfit Bemerton Heath Harlequins.

*SALISBURY expect to have some of their big hitters back for this weekend’s Evo-Stik South West double-header away at North Leigh on Saturday and at home to table-topping AFC Totton on Monday (3pm).

The Whites – play-off finalists last season - have had to put square pegs in round holes in their last two games as they were held 2-2 at home by Paulton Rovers in the league and scraped past lower league Fareham Town 3-2 in the FA Cup.

Speaking after the Fareham win, manager Steve Claridge said: “I’ve got a week for everyone just to calm down and to get people fit. It gives us a bit of breathing space.”

Marvin Brooks, Eddie Perrett and Brandon Mundy should all be ready for the weekend, but Claridge himself won’t be returning to the pitch any time soon.

The 51-year-old ex-pro played 72 minutes against Fareham, but stated: “I won’t be doing that again. It was one of those games and there was nobody else available.”

Salisbury have been drawn away to Evo-Stik South Premier new boys Farnborough in the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday week (September 2).

“It could have been worse, it could have been better,” said Claridge.

“There are still a few lower-ranked sides left in that we could have got, but we are perfectly capable of going up to Farnborough and getting a result.”