AFC TOTTON boss Steve Riley said he would be happy for his side to get battered one of these days and scrape a one-goal win.

On Saturday his wish came true in the second half at bottom-of-the-table Bishops Cleeve as the Stags fought a valiant rearguard action, ending a run of five straight defeats with a 2-1 Evo-Stik Southern One South & West victory.

Totton turned a negative into a positive on the stroke of half-time when, having lost Nathaniel Sherborne to a turned ankle, his replacement James Jennings found the bottom corner with virtually his first touch.

It was no more than the Stags deserved for a dominant first-half performance, but the boot was very much on the other foot after the break.

Riley’s men had a 61st minute let-off when goalkeeper Steve Mowthorpe brought down Jack Watts as the Bishops man nicked the ball past him and then redeemed himself by saving Harlie Price’s spot kick.

The hosts felt ex-Saints academy ’keeper Mowthorpe was lucky not to see red, but Riley insisted: “Their lad didn’t have the ball under control. It wasn’t a sending-off.”

Totton drew next blood in the 67th minute with recent signing Stuart Mott rising to head home a corner.

But it was a bitter-sweet celebration for the former Alresford and Sholing centre-back who bowed out after turning his ankle as he landed.

The Stags then defended for their lives, beaten just the once when Price chased Steve Robey’s long ball in behind and took advantage of some hesitation in the visitors’ defence to fire home via a ricochet.

“I’m really pleased with the three points, especially reflecting on our recent performances when we’ve played well and come away with nothing,” said Riley.

“Some people might say we got a bit lucky today, but just because a team is bottom of the league, you don’t just go there and roll them over.

“We had the better of the first half on a difficult, tacky pitch and created loads of chances and when we didn’t score I thought ‘here we go again’.

“But it was a great introduction for James Jennings to put us one up and our defending in and around the goal in the second half was brilliant. We defended with our lives.”

Totton 14th, return to action on Saturday at home to 18th-placed Clevedon Town.