Save It For Later! Shots finally see off Welsh challenge
ALDERSHOT TOWN 1-0 WREXHAM
Referee:Declan Bourne
Attendance:1,673
A 94th minute goal from Harry Panayiotou secured the Shots their first win at home as they celebrated a 1-0 victory over Wrexham A.F.C at the EBB Stadium.
Following their defeat to Barnet on Tuesday night, the Shots had an opportunity to redeem themselves against fellow league strugglers Wrexham.
With both teams obtaining the same amount of points, neither were ready to settle for a draw. However, it looked unlikely that anything other than a point for either side would materialise until the 94th minute when Panayiotou netted the winner.
Lewis Kinsella captained the side, replacing Robbie Tinkler following his one match suspension.
Wrexham failed to score for the first time this season as their winless run extended to seven in the National League, Panyiotou snatching all three points for the home side late in added on time at the end of a disappointing encounter between two of the divisions’ strugglers.
A Panayiotou cross caused panic in the Dragons area as the Shots broke quickly through Jack Powell before Ethan Chislett warmed the palms of Christian Dibble with an effort from another quick counter attack, the home side breaking at pace from a Dragons corner, won after Young’s free kick cannoned off the wall.
Wright went close to opening the scoring little before the half hour mark, the midfielder reaching Mark Carrington’s deep cross with a powerful header which was tipped wide by Walker.
Alefe Santos’ shot was deflected wide as Aldershot finished the half strongly and the midfielder also saw another goalbound effort hit a defender and go out for a corner at the start of the second period.
Dibble was scrambling across his goal as a George Fowler header ricochet off Michael Chambers, the goalkeeper grateful to see the ball drift over the top for a corner, before Powell was inches away from opening the scoring late in the half with a powerful drive as Wrexham only half cleared their lines from a corner.
The second half saw a number of efforts on goal, including a drilled cross from Jack Powell cleared and the follow-up corner headed just over the bar by George Fowler.
The Shots secured two free-kicks within a 10 minute period, both in a dangerous position just outside of the box. The first was a low drive from Powell, which rolled just wide of the far-post whilst the second found itself immediately deflected off a Wrexham body, taken again by the Crawley Town loanee.
On the 90th minute, AJ Eyoma escaped Wrexham’s grasp on the left channel and raced towards the near post. His curled strike formed into a well-delivered shot on target, but the ball was cleared off the goalmouth by Luke Young. It appeared to be the final chance for the Shots until Panyiotou slid a neat cross from Chislett into the bottom left corner.
The Shots next face recently relegated Yeovil Town on Tuesday night, with a chance to build on their win and climb up the table.
Aldershot Town: 1 M Walker, 3 L Kinsella (C), 6 K Lyons-Foster, 7 A Santos, 10 C Shields (Mullings 85′), 11 H Panayiotou, 16 G Fowler, 20 E Chislett, 25 M Hunt, 29 A Fletcher (Eyoma 73′), 34 J Powell.
Subs not used: Whittingham, Kudiywa, Berkeley-Agyepong.
Five points off the play-offs! Or to put it another way, looking over our shoulders. That’s the fickleness of our current position. To those who say the Championship is the toughest league to get out of, I say most leagues are the same to that end; it all depends on your club’s form and stability.
There’s no doubting the endeavour of our team who snatched a late, injury time goal at The Rec on Bank Holiday Monday (a game I missed) and yesterday the same (can’t wait to see the goal from Harry P).
Using my theory that the Shots, having won three games before Wrexham but the games I’ve been too they’d never managed it, I put it to the test yesterday, thinking that if I stayed away, the team would have a much better chance of winning!
Such a vital three points of course but what I am gleaning from our forum at least is that, Wrexham’s one big chance aside, we’d dominated for large parts and deserved the points, though it was a game that could have gone either way.
A clean sheet is also encouraging and though I’ll be there for Tuesday night and Yeovil, it’s going to be a trip of trepidation as the Glovers are in fine fettle and now in the top four.
Of the other results, nice to see Barnet’s impregnable defence breached four times too!
Here’s Jake’s vlog on yesterday…
And here’s a selection of US and THEM quotes from ShotsWeb and Red Passion:
SHOTSWEB
“this is a better team than last season ,they battle and that will do me”
“I thought the crowd was great and when getting behind the team it responded”
“If Danny Searle is out of his depth with 14 points from 12, having had to build a team from scratch then was GW out of his depth with 61 points from last 60? Give the man a chance”
“I like their fitness and enthusiasm…battled right through to win in the last minute on a hot day”
“Hunt and Powell made real impacts. Hunt is a traditional no-nonsense centre half. Fletcher was unlucky with his header that hit the bar and you get the feeling if he gets one, he’ll go on a goalscoring run”
RED PASSION
“A crap team who hammered us all second half, says it all”
“Well done coaching team… totally awesome”
“Glad Pearson’s chat with Hughes payed off. Sack the board and all coaching staff with immediate effect”
“Hughes has to go now! Pathetic performance against a BAD team”
“Text from a mate – a Shots fan ‘ mate no offence but you are the worst team I’ve seen home and away all season and the worst EVER Wrexham side I’ve witnessed”
I no longer think we are a bad team. Or that we have that bad a manager. But then with poor results, our minds can so quickly change. Let’s hope we can take this into Tuesday because while Wrexham may be out of touch, Yeovil certainly aren’t and another three points, or even one if I’m honest, will be a tonic for the troops.
And just before I close, top marks to our staff and fans…
VANARAMA LEAGUE / SATURDAY, 21ST SEPTEMBER, 2019
It’s Bromley who sit proudly on top of the National League as they proved their promotion credentials after beating Notts County.
They take first place thanks to their 2-1 win and Woking’s failure to beat Chorley.
Shawn McCoulsky on his debut came off the bench to fire undefeated Bromley to three points in front of over 3,000 at Hayes Lane.
Saturday’s National League results:
AFC Fylde 3-1 Eastleigh
Aldershot Town 1-0 Wrexham
Boreham Wood 4-0 Stockport County
Bromley 2-1 Notts County
Chorley 1-1 Woking
Ebbsfleet United 0-3 Barrow
FC Halifax 4-2 Barnet
Hartlepool United 0-2 Dover
Maidenhead United 1-1 Harrogate Town
Solihull Moors 0-1 Yeovil Town
Sutton United 4-0 Chesterfield
Torquay United 0-0 Dagenham & R
Woking left Victory Park with a frustrating draw but they showed their character to come from behind.
Chris Holroyd scored after just eight minutes but the top scorers in the National League were always going to have chances against the team who have let in more than any other.
Dave Tarpey soon made it 1-1 and both sides spurned opportunities to make it a great day.
AFC Fylde won for the first time since the second Saturday of the season as they were inspired by the BT Sport cameras.
The Coasters beat Eastleigh 3-1 after Dan Bradley got them going in fine style. The Spitfires levelled through Danny Holland’s close range strike but it didn’t stop the hosts.
Jordan Williams’ fantastic effort made it 2-1 before the point were clinched by Ryan Croasdale.
Yeovil have now won five from five – but Solihull Moors now only have one point from their last six matches.
The Glovers won 1-0 in the Midlands thanks to Luke Wilkinson. It’s the first time they have won five matches back-to-back since 2013.
Pete Wild was very pleased to see FC Halifax back on track – their 4-2 victory over Barnet moves them into second, a point behind leaders Bromley.
Chesterfield fans can’t believe the opening two months of their campaign – last week’s first win couldn’t inspire them to another.
Sutton United steamrollered the Spireites 4-0 at Gander Green Lane as they won for the first time in seven.
Tommy Wright scored as his recovery from injury continued. Harry Beautyman got his fifth already from midfield this term while star of the show Aaron Jarvis was at the double.
It was the same story for Stockport County who went down 4-0 at rampant Boreham Wood.
In-form striker Kabongo Tshimanga got two and maybe should have had a hat-trick as the Wood were far too strong.
This time last year Dover Athletic were bottom – now they are fifth and loving life under Andy Hessenthaler.
Their 2-0 win at Hartlepool proved they are the real deal – Inih Effiong scored again before Steve Rigg wrapped it up. Pools had two men sent off as the slip to 14th.
Barrow made it three wins in a row and added to bottom club Ebbsfleet’s woes. Scott Quigley got the goal of the game for Ian Evatt’s dominant side. They won 3-0 and were good value for it.
Maidenhead United salvaged a 1-1 draw with Harrogate Town thanks to Shamir Fenelon’s classy effort.
Dagenham & Redbridge are now nine games unbeaten.
Peter Taylor’s team continue to impress and Torquay United couldn’t find a way through a Plainmoor as the teams drew 0-0.
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