AFC TOTTON 2 CIRENCESTER TOWN 1.

TW0-goal Craig Feeney fired AFC Totton to a 2-1 home win over Cirencester Town in the Evo-Stik South West this afternoon.

But the real star of the show was goalkeeper Shane Murphy who saved his side from a hammering with a string of miraculous first-half saves.

The Stags had a let-off less than three minutes in when, from Aiden Bennett’s cross, Tommy Anderson sliced over from close range.

And Cirencester soon threatened again – Ben Whitehead allowed time to turn and test Murphy with a low, drilled strike from outside the box.

Having needlessly conceded a corner at one end, Totton’s Tony Lee quickly forced another at the other end, but defender Jack Barker couldn’t get enough on his header from Jack Masterton’s delivery.

Cirencester responded with another strike from range by Whitehead, this time straight at Murphy, who then had to turn away a low, bending shot by Bennett.

Referee Declan O’Shea’s decision to book Alfy Whittingham after he had won the ball fairly only added to the frustration of the Totton management team who were calling for "more urgency" from the team in blue and white.

That, though, fell on deaf ears as Cirencester continued to ask all the questions and, had it not been for the heroics of Murphy in the Totton goal, the visitors would have been running away with it.

The former Dorchester stopper did brilliantly to repel Tommy Ouldridge’s header from Ellis Dunton’s deep cross.

And, seconds later, Murphy blocked out Anderson at close quarters after Ouldridge had chipped the ball into his path.

There was concern when Murphy sat down and called for the physio on 33 minutes but, thankfully, he was able to continue after treatment to his neck.

For a side boasting the league’s best defensive record, Totton looked shambolic at the back at times and finally paid the price on 38 minutes.

Slack play allowed Bennett in behind and he slipped the ball along the by-line.

With Murphy committed, the Stags still had ample opportunity to clear, but ANDERSON couldn’t believe his luck as he slid the ball between two Totton defenders on the line to put the visitors 1-0 up.

Still Cirencester kept coming and Murphy had to bail Totton out yet again by turning away Adam Connolly’s belter.

But, with Totton still counting their blessings to be only one goal down, they somehow managed to claw their way back on terms.

Alexandru Albert was penalised for tripping Craig FEENEY inside the box and the Stags’ No 9 got up to send the keeper the wrong way from the spot for 1-1.

Half-time: AFC Totton 1 Cirencester 1.

Totton emerged a couple of minutes early for the second-half, no doubt with a few choice words ringing in their ears.

The missing urgency soon materialised with Whittingham chancing his arm from distance. The ball bounced wide, seemingly helped on by a touch from keeper Thom Jonkerman, but a goal kick was given.

After Ouldridge had shot wide for the visitors, Totton miraculously went ahead on 55 minutes with only their second effort on target.

Masterton tenaciously won the ball and found Curtis Young. He played in FEENEY one-on-one and the striker coolly found the bottom corner for 2-1.

Young soon became creator again to play in Lee, but the striker pulled his shot well wide and was replaced by Toby Adekunle on 66 minutes.

The arrival of sub Alan Griffin perked up the visitors and, following a neat move between him and Whitehead, young Jack Barker got Totton out of trouble with some ice-cool defending.

Murphy was then tested by Louis Spalding’s low, driven shot from the left before Connolly sent another thumping effort wide for the visitors.

Totton, though looked reasonably comfortable and so nearly made it 3-1 at the start of added time when, from Feeney’s cut-back, sub Dave Allen somehow clipped the top of the crossbar from point-blank range.

But, three minutes into stoppage time, there was an equally lucky escape for the Stags when Whitehead’s shot bounced down off the underside of the bar before being scrambled away.

Right at the death Spalding was shown a second yellow for a frustrated Cirencester.