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Troubling scenes as Salisbury fan clashes with AFC Totton player at end of playoff final

Troubling scenes as Salisbury fan clashes with an AFC Totton player at the end of the Southern League Premier South playoff final.

Salisbury sealed promotion to the National League South with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out win, following a 2-2 draw after 120 minutes.

It was challenging conditions with the rain pouring down, but despite that, Salisbury fans took run on to the pitch in celebration.

However, they were marred with players and stewards getting involved to try and calm an altercation between an AFC Totton footballer and a Salisbury fan, as you can see below…

Hero of the penalty shootout was goalkeeper, Ryan Gosney, who began the season with Sholing in the Southern League Premier South, and ended the campaign helping guide Salisbury to promotion.

“To help Salisbury get back to where they belong has to be the best and proudest moment of my football career,” he said to southern-football-league.co.uk. “The play-off final was always going to be a cagey affair in what was a huge game for both clubs.

“To be a goal down with only minutes to go both in the semi-final and then final and to come back and win on both occasions, shows the character that we have within the group.

“I quickly saw this character when I joined the club. When we conceded an equaliser late in extra-time, the players were down after putting in such a massive shift, but I just knew it was my time to show everyone why I joined.

“I love penalty shoot-outs! Going first always gives me the chance to get some pressure off our lads and to save the first penalty was massive, it put the pressure onto AFC Totton, then saving the fourth and final penalty, the relief and buzz from everyone was unreal.

“What a season it has been for myself, coming into this League to test myself and show what I can do.

“I was playing well at the start of the season, helping Sholing do what they set out to do and survive at this level following promotion.

“I believe we had the sixth best defensive record in the League at the time I left, which was a great achievement personally considering our position in the table.

“The timing of the move to Salisbury meant that it was a difficult decision to have to make, especially after nine happy years at Sholing.

“Many people said that I wouldn’t leave, but sometimes you have to take a risk and make difficult decisions, which I did and I haven’t looked back.

“Salisbury is a fantastic club with great people. Arriving here with just over a month of the season left meant that I had to settle in quickly. I can’t thank the Gaffer and Callum enough; they, along with the players, staff and fans have welcomed me and my family with open arms and made it easy for me to hit the ground running.

“My first few games were cagey as I was getting used to everyone and how they play, but the last four games I feel as though I have been able to play my usual game.

“If you said to me in the summer that I would get promoted this season, I would have laughed at you, but look, here we are now, promoted into the Vanarama National League South!”

As someone who has been involved both at the top and bottom of the Premier South this term, the Southern League asked Ryan for his analysis of the League as a whole.

“This is a tough League,” he replied. “Anyone can beat anyone and it showed over the course of the season. It’s not as simple turn up and win, you have to put the work in on and off-the-pitch otherwise you get found out pretty quickly.

“I have enjoyed my season at this level and have learned a lot.”

This is how fans reacted on social media amid troubling scenes as a Salisbury fan clashes with an AFC Totton player at the end of the playoff final…

@chris_burden8: Was that a supporter kicking out at a totton player?

@ChrisGarvey13: No idea but something happened – I saw him get removed by a steward from pitch

@zwee1: Yes it was 🤬

@NiallLal: Watch it again, the Totton player kicks the supporter actually 🤡

@hfc_felix: Scumbags

@robpike14: @AFCTotton brought that upon yourself . Sold to many ticket to away fans. No police. Our own player gets kicked on our own pitch by their fans. Fucking joke. Who on earth allows 1200 (at least) away fans. Money grabbing for tickets money over home advantage . Absolutely joke.

@thesameoldfew: Totton players getting unnecessarily involved with a minor. Heard that one before.

@markbisping12: @edwar464 Hopefully you’re looking to identify that fan? Not enough stewarding/policing, and sadly it showed

@woody7689: The fan that gets clobbered by Totton players?

@markbisping12: @woody7689 The fan that clobbered Totton players first

@woody7689: Freeze the frame 2 second in and look to the extreme left of the screen. It’s not great. I’d do it myself but my phone is older than me.

@markbisping12: @woody7689 Not nitpicking… do you mean extreme right? Agree the Totton player swung a boot. However from when I was (behind the goal to the right of this video) the fan was running with his arm out as if to clothesline, and followed through with one who was on the floor

@markbisping12: @woody7689 not a great look for either club, on a day that should be about celebrating the season… If the game had been managed properly in advance, risk of incidents such as this would have been significantly lower

@woody7689: Yeah agree with your comments. Pitch invasions are inevitable in these situations but you also rely on the good nature of people involved which appears to have been lost on some. Hopefully it didn’t mar your day in what was otherwise a hellish game of football and advert.

@markbisping12: Agree, sadly it is lost on some! Invade the pitch, but celebrate your success! No need to go after others… was a great day (bar the result) thanks! Non-league is the future

@woody7689: It’s life mate. I love non league. See you next season pal

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