AFC TOTTON’S players gave the thumbs-up to Steve Hollick’s permanent appointment as manager by producing one of their best 45 minutes of the season.

Saturday’s 5-2 Southern One South & West win over struggling Bishop’s Cleeve was preceded by two significant announcements.

Industrious midfielder Liam Gilbert was named supporters’ player-of-the-season and, after four games in caretaker charge, Hollick officially had his job title upgraded from goalkeeping coach to first-team boss.

If Totton’s first-half performance was any indicator, Hollick’s appointment – and that of ex-Hythe & Dibden manager Lee Burch as head coach – has gone down well in the dressing room.

By half-time the Stags were 4-1 up and cruising thanks to two Craig Feeney goals and one apiece from Jack Hoey and Nathan Hurst.

The Stags took their foot off the gas after break, but Hurst still claimed his second of the afternoon as the lowly Gloucestershire visitors were mathematically condemned to relegation.

Hollick said: “It was our last home game of the season and the first 45 minutes was as good a half of football as I’ve seen from us in a long time.

“The pitches are bit bobbly now, but we tried to get the ball down and play a bit and do things the right way.

“It would have been nice to have kept a clean sheet, but we were totally on top in the first half.

“The second half was relatively flat in comparison and we stopped shifting the ball about like we’d done earlier.”

After 13 league games without a win, Totton needed to get off to a decent start – and they didn’t disappoint.

With nine minutes gone Feeney headed home Gilbert’s free-kick and that lead was doubled a quarter-of-an-hour later when Hoey collected Hurst’s pass and slipped the ball under Cleeve ’keeper Steve Benbow.

By 32 minutes it was 3-0 with Feeney this time the architect, crossing for Hurst to sneak between two defenders and tap home.

Mike Sholley headed one back on 44 minutes, but Totton responded on the stroke of half-time when Feeney lashed a bouncing ball into the roof of the net for 4-1.

Hurst’s second arrived on 64 minutes, prodding home another Gilbert free kick, and it was Cleeve who had the last word when Jordan Bryan let fly with a thumping 35-yarder which came down off the crossbar for Aaron Drake to force home.

“We played well and could have had double what we got,” said Hollick.

“It felt good to have the new coaching team around me.

“I’ve known Lee Burch since our Bashley days together and he’s one of the best coaches I know. He’s doing his UEFA A Licence at the moment and his coaching is phenomenal. He’s already taken two sessions with the lads and they’ve taken to him and what he’s trying to do.

“Lee’s brought Dave Rowland (club coach) and Jamie Cotton (goalkeeping coach) with him from Hythe & Dibden and I’ve tasked them with improving the coaching throughout the club.

“Dave will assist Lee with first-team coaching and will oversee the under-16s, under-18s and reserves as well, working closely with them to raise standards right through.”