FOR the past two years the FA Carlsberg Vase has proved the highlight of AFC Totton's season with the memorable last 16 exploits of 1999 followed by a journey into the last 32 last term.

This time, though, Ian Robinson's men have disappointingly fallen at the very first hurdle after a mediocre Melksham Town side stole through 2-1 in extra-time at Testwood Park.

Nigel Mottashed's 54th-minute far-post header from Stuart Ritchie's free-kick had put Totton in the driving seat.

But the Stags' afternoon began to fall apart 11 minutes later when the influential centre-back was dismissed for a professional foul on Melksham player-manager Robert Lardner.

It looked to be six of one and half a dozen of the other as the pair jostled for possession on the edge of the Totton area, but Dorchester referee Mr Lillington consulted with his linesman and promptly sent Mottashed on his way.

Even with ten men, Totton had ample chances to clinch the tie but, having been stung by the unmarked Lardner's equaliser with seven minutes remaining, they were punished for ball-watching by substitute Matthew Messenger midway through extra-time.

Robinson rebuilt Totton this summer with a money-spinning Vase run uppermost in his mind, and he confessed: "It's a sickener, particularly to be beaten by a poor side. I believe we're a better team this season, but we've been found wanting on the day."

The Stags' cause was not helped by the absence of ex-Fleet targetman Martin Whiddett who chose this, of all times, to be away on holiday.

"I expected to have him back by now and, if he'd been here, I think we'd have won it," the boss admitted.

"We've engineered the side around him.

"We needed to protect the ball when we were 1-0 up and Martin would have done that."