AFC Totton’s FA Cup run has been real Boy’s Own stuff for goalkeeper Grant Porter.

At 21, the Saints fan is one of the youngest members of the Stags’ squad, but has done a decent impression of his boyhood hero Antti Niemi during the club’s march to the second round.

He fondly recalls Niemi’s heroics during the 2002-03 FA Cup final season and is ready to produce more of his own against Bristol Rovers on Sunday.

Totton Build-up

Don’t miss tomorrow’s Daily Echo where AFC Totton assistant manager Sean New writes his amusing profiles of the men who have taken the non-league club into the second round of the FA Cu

Porter, who lives in Sholing, said: “I had a Saints season ticket till I started playing on Saturdays and always used to turn up early at St Mary’s to watch Niemi warm up with the other goalkeepers, Alan Blayney and Paul Smith.

“I loved watching Niemi as a kid and always remember his triple save to deny Patrick Vieira a late equaliser when we beat Arsenal 3-2 in his first season.”

That campaign ended with the FA Cup final defeat against Arsenal, but Porter’s dreams are very much alive.

“It’s surreal at the moment, you look at other teams having an FA Cup run and you never think it’s going to happen to you,” he said.

“Being on TV makes it even better. I know Kevin Scriven, who played in goal for Havant & Waterlooville when they played in the fourth round at Liverpool a few years ago.

“He’s given me advice and so has [former Totton keeper] Wayne Shaw, who’s now the goalkeeping coach at Sutton, who are live on ESPN themselves against Notts County.

“They’ve both been giving me little pointers, telling me to get to the ground early, take it all in and savour the atmosphere.

“This doesn’t happen very often and might not happen again in my career.

I’m only 21 but I’ve got to be realistic, it’s not going to happen every season.”

Porter will also have the backing of his biggest fan on Sunday. “My dad has barely missed a game, home or away, since I was five and my sister will also be there,” he said.

There was not much for Grant to do in the previous round, except admire his teammates as they beat Bradford Park Avenue 8-1.

“I was pinching myself before and after the game and all the way home!” he smiled.

“I was proper nervous going into it but we blew them out of the water.

“At our level, no-one can handle us going forward.

We’re unbelievable on the counter with the pace we have.

“Our forwards are rapid.”

Ever-present Porter, who has also played for Salisbury and Gosport, made some important contributions himself in earlier rounds.

“My best save was in our first game, the second-round qualifying tie at Clevedon.

They had a header from six yards out that I tipped behind at the back post.

“We were 2-0 up and won 2-1.”

While he had admits it was not in the same bracket as the “triple Niemi”, Porter should get the chance to up the Antti against League Two Rovers.