HOME is where the goals are for AFC Totton who have banged in 13 in three successive Southern One South & West games at the Testwood Stadium.

After seeing off Fleet 4-2 and Didcot 5-3, the sharp-shooting Stags went to town with a 4-0 rout of struggling Bashley.

However, manager Steve Riley conceded that victory over his old club was not as straightforward as the scoreline suggests.

Buoyed by festive draws against Wimborne and Sholing, Bash had their first-half tails up and, but for a terrific stop by Steve Mowthorpe, would have gone in a goal to the good through Lewis Aimson.

Mowthorpe had to be on his guard again at the start of the second period as Nuno Pereira threatened but, just as against Didcot last Tuesday, Totton were a different proposition after the break.

On-loan Poole Town man Billy Lowes finally got them moving, picking the ball up just inside the Bash half, beating a couple of defenders and finding the net from 20 yards.

Totton doubled their lead just after the hour when Zac Mouland collected Mike Gosney’s crossfield pass on the right.

He played the ball towards the edge of the box where Nathaniel Sherborne was waiting to curl a left-footer into the top corner.

Mouland got the third himself with just over a quarter of hour to go, cutting in from the left and picking out the bottom corner.

Riley freshened things up by throwing on three substitutes and it was one of them, Joe Maxwell, who buried goal number four – the ex-Eastleigh man getting in behind on 84 minutes, taking a touch and firing low past James Lambourne in the Bash goal. Totton almost added a fifth, but Gosney’s free kick crashed off the woodwork and Stuart Mott’s follow-up header cleared the bar.

“We were lucky to come in 0-0 at half-time,” admitted Riley. “Bashley were the better side in the first half. They had a couple of good set-pieces which we had to clear and Steve Mowthorpe denied them with a fingertip save.

“There was a lot more quality and tempo to our game in the second half and all four goals were well taken.

“Us scoring in the 48th minute took the wind out of Bashley’s sails, but credit to their manager Paul Morris, he’s got the lads working for him and they’re well organised.

“But our confidence lifted and we kicked on from there.

“That’s nine points out of nine now. We’ve got to try and keep it going.”

While Totton are up to eighth, Bash have work to do to preserve their Southern League status.

“I saw some old friends today and it saddens me to see where they are because I spent a long time there as manager,” said Riley.

“They’re in a bit of turmoil and we were there ourselves not long ago, so I feel for them.”