ATFC boss Danny Searle hopes that this breathless draw earned his side renewed respect after the Shots held their own against high-flying Harrogate.
“This team don’t get half the credit they deserve. Some of what is said (of them) is massively harsh. We are a young side with some very talented players and going into the last few minutes we looked as though we could go on and win the game. People are entitled to their opinions but my opinion is that we are getting better.” – DANNY SEARLE
Since October’s reverse when Shots unluckily fell to a last-minute defeat. Aldershot have lost one game fewer than opponents Harrogate who sit loftily in the second berth of the National League.
It was the visitors who made the stronger start at the Rec in front of just 1704 spectators, a few hundred down on recent home matches, Mitch Walker making smart early saves to deny Kiernan and Stead and tipping Lloyd Kerry’s swerving drive over the bar.
Robbie Tinkler pulled a cross-shot wide of goal as Shots finally got their attacking going and they took advantage as Craig Tanner cleverly fed Mo Bettamer whose disguised shot inside the near post stole the lead.
Protecting the lead became even harder when Alex Finney limped off and was replaced by Lyons-Foster. On seventy minutes Harrogate drew level when Muldoon played in Kerry who fired a 22-yard effort into the roof of the net that arguably Walker could have done better with.
Muldoon then went down under Tinkler’s challenge with Searle later admitting that the visitors might have had two penalties but in the end, despite Shots threatening late on, a draw was probably the right result and a good one for Shots when later on Chesterfield succumbed 3-0 at Notts County, keeping us six points above safety and in reality, three more wins should ultimately keep us in the fifth tier for next year.
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