AFC TOTTON paid the price for a trio of individual errors and some wayward shooting in yesterday's 3-1 home defeat by Kidlington in the Evo-Stik South West.

Manager Louis Langdown was not about to “lambast” a side who, in their previous four outings, had won three and drawn one in league and cup, all on testing, stodgy pitches away from home.

But, at the same time, Totton would love to be in the play-off frame come the end of the season, and Langdown confessed: “We’ve got to be better than that.

“When we concede, we’ve got to be able to come back. We created enough chances, but never took them.

“We knew Kidlington were a good side who pass the ball well, but you can’t legislate for three individual mistakes.”

A handling error by the Stags’ normally impeccable goalkeeper Shane Murphy gifted Duran Martin a 15th-minute opener and the same player struck again from the penalty spot on 38 minutes after Anaclet Odhiambio had got the wrong side of Dave Allen and been tripped by the experienced Totton defender.

Tom Castle made it 3-0 on 72 minutes when he shot through a cluster of bodies and the Stags belatedly found their shooting boots as Charlie Gunson finished neatly with 90 minutes on the clock.

“We’ve been scoring goals away but we’re struggling a bit at home and we need to sort that out,” stressed Langdown.

“Dave Allen should have done better from six yards, Chuggy (Callum Chugg) has had a free header and Toby (Adekunle) had a great chance after some good play by us.

“But mistakes happen at every level of football and I’m not going to lambast the lads, I just hope they’re not going to get repeated.

“Have we overachieved so far this season? Probably. Do we want to be in the play-offs and have a go? Of course we do.

“But we’ve got no divine right to win games and Kidlington are a decent side.

“That said, if we’d taken our chances, we could have won that game 4-3.”

Totton still sit a mighty respectable fifth in the table ahead of home tests against Bideford on Tuesday (7.45pm) and Larkhall Athletic on Saturday.

Defender Stuart Mott (ankle) is their only injury concern.

*SALISBURY’S winning league run of seven matches was surprisingly halted by lowly Barnstaple Town.

The second-to-bottom visitors sealed a famous victory in front of a 601 Raymond McEnhill Stadium crowd thanks to a 61st-minute Billy Hopcroft strike against the run of play.

Salisbury huffed and puffed but couldn’t find the net as Barnstaple fought a determined rearguard action, with goalkeeper Rob Holmes outstanding.

With Evo-Stik South West leaders Taunton beating Didcot 3-1, Steve Claridge’s Whites are eight points behind the Peacocks in second having played two games more. They do, however, have a seven-point cushion on third-placed Bristol Manor Farm.