Dolphins’ fans will be very content with the start that we have made to the new Southern League Premier South season. A well-earned draw at the highly fancied Bracknell and a home win over recently relegated Taunton Town and still to concede a goal.

With many new signings during the summer there are real signs that we have recruited extremely well in all positions. One of those signings, the returning, and ex AFC Totton striker Charlie Davis slotted home the late winner in front of an enthusiastic 665 crowd on Tuesday evening.

Next up this Saturday we welcome the players, officials and management of AFC Totton who themselves are yet to concede a goal. They have made the perfect start with a 1-0 home win over Walton & Hersham with ex Dolphin Marcus Daws scoring the only goal, and a 3-0 away win over their neighbours Sholing, on also on Tuesday evening.

All the headlines surrounding The Stags this campaign will no doubt be about Charlie Austin who has teamed up with James Beatie as they push to go one step further in their quest for promotion. They lost out to Salisbury on penalties in the play-off final in May with the score 2-2 after 90 minutes.

As well as Marcus Daws and Charlie Austin we will also welcome back Declan Rose and Tony Lee who are well known at The Black Gold Stadium.

Last season we lost 1-0 at Salisbury Road on 16^th August and drew 0-0 at The Black Gold in March. This was to be our only goalless match of the season.

Another new recruit to the Stags squad is Joshua Owers the 22-year-old central midfielder who was part of the Yeovil Town squad that won the National League South title last season, having previously featured for The Glovers during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign while on loan from Bristol City. Despite an inauspicious beginning to life as a Stag, when he was sent-off shortly before half-time on his competitive debut at home to Walton & Hersham, Josh has already demonstrated during pre-season that he offers a wealth of creativity and hard work to the midfield engine room that bodes well for his future with them.

Manager Jimmy Ball joined the Stags from EFL League Two club Stevenage, where he was the Assistant Manager to former Southampton player Paul Tisdale from January 2022. He is the son of England 1966 World Cup winner Alan Ball.

After the win over Sholing on Tuesday he told their web-site, “I’m happy with our start to the season – two wins and two clean sheets against sides that are going to score lots of goals – but I’m not getting carried away. You don’t win anything in August and there is a long, long way to go.

This will no doubt be one of the eagerly anticipated home fixtures of the campaign which will surely draw another large crowd to the Black Gold. Come along early to take in the fantastic atmosphere that this match will undoubtedly generate.

Enjoy the game.

Neil Wellington.