AFC Totton have parted company with three of the players brought in this season to heighten their chances of Wessex honours.

Experienced former Southern League trio Nigel Mottashed, Paul Masters and David Goss have been told they can go in the wake of a disappointing slide in results.

Although Totton travel to Wimborne tomorrow sitting second in the table, they have played too many games to be serious title contenders. The recent 5-1 whipping at Andover was the last straw for manager Ian Robinson, who has recalled youngsters like Michael White, Ross Thurston and Matt Plowman at the expense of more established names.

Robinson has been laid up ill in bed this week, but his assistant Richie Phippard explained: "Over the last couple of months results haven't been brilliant and we've given away a lot of goals.

"We felt we weren't getting the best out of the three players in question and, in fairness to them, have given them the chance to move before the transfer deadline. We didn't want to stitch them up by letting it get to January 31 and then saying we weren't going to use them.

"We tried to do the best we could by them, but it just wasn't working."

The new-look side dispensed with Bournemouth Poppies 3-1 last Saturday, but Phippard is aware that not every game will be that comfortable.

He said: "We know the changes might cost us in a few games against the top sides, but it's something we're going to have to live with. Our chance of winning the league has possibly gone but we'll do our best with the players we've got."

Totton lodged notice of approach for BAT's experienced defender Richie Hurst but nothing came of it.