Wealdstone 1 – 3 Aldershot Town

Aldershot Town

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Match Report

Aldershot completed their third away win on the bounce after a terrific second-half comeback at Grosvenor Vale saw the Shots finish 3-1 victors against Wealdstone FC. Dom Hutchinson’s opener was cancelled out by a lightning-fast brace from substitute James Henry, before Josh Barrett scored his 14th of the league-season to secure matters.

Tommy Widdrington made zero changes to the eleven that started the Shots’ 3-3 draw with Ebbsfleet on Saturday, with Dan Ellison’s return to the bench the only change within the entire travelling squad.

Shots controlled possession in the opening five minutes, with Aaron Jones and Keane Anderson connecting particularly well on the right-hand side of midfield. Wealdstone would soon respond, however.

Just moments after the home crowd voiced their grievance in not receiving a penalty, a clever pass from Harrison Sohna played in Dom Hutchinson, who managed to dink the ball over an onrushing Marcus Dewhurst. Stones with the early lead.

Sohna was the aggressor once again in a Wealdstone attack, though a neat tackle from Levi Laing forced the ball out wide. Jack Barham found himself with a half-chance after Will Armitage’s long ball found the wide-edge of the penalty area, forcing an unsure Luca Gunter to rush out. Barham found the ball first, but only just, his lobbed half-volley blocked by the Royals’ keeper, with Cameron Hargreaves’ rebound sailing wide.

Wealdstone almost made it two, after a corner found the head of Connor McAvoy six-yards out. The guilt-edged chance, aided with the help of a slight deflection, struck the right-hand post and out for a goal kick. Josh Barrett almost picked the lock shortly after, his searching pass agonisingly close to finding Jack Barham in on goal, though Enzio Boldewijn did well to read the danger at the back.

Aldershot would have to wait for the 35-minute mark to truly test Wealdstone’s goal, Jones’ Aaron and Ryan combined well down the right, with the latter jinking past his marker before firing his shot low and true, unfortunately not having the direction to undo Luca Gunter.

After a blood injury to Connor McAvoy halted play, Keane Anderson made the most of the momentary man advantage, playing an inch-perfect ball into Aaron Jones on the right. Shots’ captain played a testing low-cross into the middle, though the Stones defense were able to clear for a corner.

HALF-TIME

It was a frustrating start to the second-half, as despite significant possession from the visitors, Aldershot found it near-impossible to break down a disciplined Wealdstone back-line.

The Shots pressure eventually told shortly after the hour mark as a Ryan Jones corner was cleared by Adrian Mariappa into the path of Cameron Hargreaves just inside the 18-yard-box. An excellent volley was parried well by Gunter, though the rebound dipped high into the path of James Henry, who having arrived onto the pitch not sixty-seconds previous, slotted in the equaliser.

Aldershot finally began to make their superior league position truly tell. Ryan Jones thought he’d put the visitors in front after catching his half-volley beautifully on the edge of the area. Driving downwards, the  ball bounced up and looked destined for the top-right corner, though was saved well again from Gunter.

Shortly after a wide free-kick from Josh Barrett sent the ball into a dangerous area. Wealdstone headed clear, but only into the path of James Henry once more. Sprinting to connect, Shots’ number 27 hit a truly unstoppable effort into the bottom-left corner, securing a Shots lead, and a Henry brace just five minutes after coming on.

Aldershot’s breathless attacking didn’t relent there, as Ryan Jones drove down the left-flank into the penalty area, before squaring a ball into the path of the penalty area. While multiple away players might have reached it, a shout from Josh Barrett was shortly followed by his effort sailing into the top-right corner via a strong deflection, putting daylight between the two sides for 3-1.

A couple of efforts in quick succession from Keane Anderson both came close, before former Wealdstone substitute Mustapha Carayol broke down the left for the hosts in search of a comeback. The former Middlesbrough winger cut inside well before firing a right-footed curler on the edge of the box, fortunately high and wide.

Tyler Frost burst down the right-hand side before square it centrally towards the edge of the area, before James Henry was denied a hattrick after yet another strong dive from Gunter. The visitors saw out the game with controlled possession, a fitting end to one of the strongest halves of the league season.

Attendance: 1331 (Away figure unknown)

Shots lineup: 28. Marcus Dewhurst, 7. Cameron Hargreaves, 8. Tyler Frost, 10. Josh Barrett (9. Kai Corbett 87′), 11. Ryan Jones, 12. Keane Anderson (6. Theo Widdrington 81′), 17. Aaron Jones (C), 22. Jack Barham (24. Maxwell Mullins 81′), 33. Luca Woodhouse, 36. Will Armitage, 38. Levi Laing (27. James Henry 62′).

Subs not used: 1. Jordi van Stappershoef, 14. Ollie Bray, 35. Dan Ellison.

Stones lineup: 31. Luca Gunter, 2. Jack Cook (C) (Adrian Mariappa 62′), 3. Anthony Georgiou ( 18. Christian Scott 69′), 7. Enzio Boldewijn,10. Max Kretzschmar, 17. Dom Hutchinson (11. Mustapha Carayol 68′), 21. Kallum Cesay, 22. Alex Reid, 24. Connor McAvoy, 29. Harrison Sohna, 34. Tyler Walker.

Subs not used: 35. Dante Baptiste, 12. Jeffrey Sekyere, 15. Jed Brown, 26. Tobi Omele.