LOUIS Langdown wants AFC Totton to start playing to their strengths again after losing a set-piece slog 1-0 at Larkhall Athletic yesterday.

After a free-flowing 5-1 FA Trophy replay win at North Leigh on Tuesday, the Stags got bogged down trying to play a physical Larks side at their own game.

It was a battle they were never destined to win, albeit that it took a 37th-minute Lewis Powell penalty – awarded against Totton keeper Adam Siviter – to separate the teams.

“Credit to Larkhall, they were good. They’re a physical bunch and their two centre-halves had a field day against us, they were good in both boxes,” said Langdown.

“It turned into a set-piece battle and that’s not what we’re about.

“In fairness to Craig Feeney, he’s had a really good header that the keeper’s managed to claw out. On another day that sails in and we get a draw, but I’m not sure we deserved one really.

“We huffed and puffed with lots of effort but no quality. It wasn’t one for the purists.

“But it was our first defeat in six, so we’ll take it on the chin and try and improve on Tuesday against Winchester City (home, 7.45pm).

Totton hope to have Eastleigh loanee Tom Bearwish and new dad Stuart Green back to face the Citizens, but Liam Cook, Shane Murphy and Jack Masterton are still sidelined.

The Stags are sixth in the Evo-Stik Division One South, three points clear of 13th-placed Winchester, having played two games more.