AFC Totton have got the green light from the Sydenhams Wessex League's ground inspection committee after pulling off an amazing transformation of their Testwood Park home.

So dramatic was the improvement that Gosport Borough chairman John Stimpson, one of the three-man ground grading team, admitted: "I've been doing ground inspections for eight or nine years now and I've never seen such a turnaround.

"I know that Ray Barnes, chairman of the committee, was over the moon with it.

"When we visited Totton back in June, I didn't think they had a chance in hell of achieving Wessex League standard, but what they've done to their pitch and changing rooms is amazing.

"The whole club is to be congratulated for the way they've turned it around.

"The pitch is still not top-notch, but it's all grassed over now whereas, in June, it was covered in flint and had hardly any work done on it.

"The dressing rooms are a transformation. Before, they were filthy and, in our opinion, unhealthy for Wessex League footballers to use, but they've done a super job doing them up.

"Speaking as chairman of another Wessex club, I'm delighted with what's been achieved.

"The league could see a club going downhill and they made a stand, which was quite legitimate, and what we saw this week was the old Totton we used to know."

The Totton transformation is all the more remarkable considering that work only began when Richie Maton was voted in as chairman midway through July.

The committee worked round the clock for 20 days solid, spending an estimated £3,000-£3,500 and Maton smiled: "What we've pulled off is not much short of a miracle.

"I'm relieved more than anything. It's brought the club closer together. The bottom line is that we couldn't afford to play our home games away if we'd failed the inspection."

Maton was also brimming with praise for Wessex neighbours BAT Sports, who have been extremely supportive in Totton's hour of need.

He said: "Everyone at BAT has been superb, not just people on the football side but on the social side too.

"Their chairman Mick Geddes said that if we needed anything we should go and see them and they've helped us big-style with advice and equipment.

"I can't thank them enough. Surely that's what it's all about."