Fleet Town 1-1 Aldershot Town Reserves (Aldershot win 4-3 on penalties)

The Young Shots' determination pays off as they find themselves in the County Cup Final.

Andy Sinton and his staff welcomed a predominantly young Shots Reserve team to the Calthorpe stadium for their Semi-Final encounter. This was another chance for some of the Shots youngsters to play alongside some first team players; Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz keeping goal, Dean Howell on the left flank, Louis Soares centre midfield and a strike partnership of Omar Riza and Damian Spencer.

Fleet won the toss and chose to kick downhill, which allowed Aldershot the kick-off, and Fleet let the Shots know their intentions from the start as they won a free kick after 30 seconds of play. The ball was delivered into the penalty spot where Fleet centre-back Noakes rose to see his powerful header on-target but tipped over by Ruiz.

It took the Shots another minute to get into the Fleet half, when Carlton Cox, partnering Soares in midfield, created himself space with a clever little move. This allowed him time on the ball at the edge of the goal area to drive towards the centre of the 'D'. Looking up he spotted the run of Howell into space behind the back four, unfortunately Cox showed too much of his pass and it was intercepted. A minute later Soares picked up the ball in midfield and drove to the left flank; his cross was stopped and cleared. Howell recovered the ball and attacked beyond the back four but his cross turned out for a corner.

Fleet had an opportunity on nine minutes when their left midfielder Wheeler crossed to former Shots Youth midfielder James Field moving into the goal area from the right. Field took the ball on his chest and tried a bicycle kick, his effort flying wide of target. Fleet were defiantly on the up as they pressed and harried the Shots at every opportunity, and did not allow them to get a foothold on the game. Fleet's attacking instincts gave Shots all-youth team defence of Rhys Tyler RB, the usual CB pairing of Calum Nimmo and skipper Ben Hutchings and LB Josh Casey an uncomfortable time.

Fleet had a penalty appeal turned down in the 12th minute as they claimed Ruiz brought down Nathan Smart as the forward tried to take the ball around the Shots keeper, following a weak headed back pass.

The Shots had the best chance of the half on 20 minutes; a long ball over the top saw Riza with a rapid turn of pace to beat the defender to the ball giving him a couple of yards head start. The ball was bouncing and difficult to bring under control, but eventually Riza did, by this time Fleet centre back Hemmings worked himself back into a better covering position, and Riza's shot was blocked. This allowed a chance for fleet-of-foot Josh Pearson, playing on the right flank, he beat a defender and stepping inside his pass found the powerful Damian Spencer with his back to goal. Spencer turned and fired a left-footed shot just wide of the target.

The first half continued in the same tempo, Fleet disrupting the Shots and getting forward in numbers when in possession. The Shots had to make their first substitution on 35 minutes, after Calum Nimmo was caught in the face and suffered a bad knock to his nose. Time for another youngster to enter the fray, first year scholar Henrik Breimyr took his defensive place alongside Hutchings.

The first break came on 37 minutes, and went against the run of play. Ruiz cleared long over the left flank where Hutchings was stood on the edge of the centre circle, he passed to Riza, who with a good touch played out to the left to Dean Howell, again in space he dribbled behind the Fleet defence, continuing his run to the six-yard box and hit the ball low and hard towards the far post of the Fleet goal. The shot took a slight deflection before entering the net, with Howell claiming the goal.

For the second half Fleet picked up from where they left off, and were back at the Shots from the restart denying the Shots time to settle on the ball. However the Shots pace had potential to turn defence into attack in an instant. On 47 minutes Spencer won the ball, drove through the halfway line and played in Howell on the left, he had an option on either flank, as Shots had a 3 v 1 chance. Howell crossed to Soares in space, receiving the ball he spun but directed his shot around the post.

Fleet had a good chance on 59 minutes when Wheeler's shot was blocked by Hutchings' challenge. Time for another change on 60 minutes; Adam Mekki replacing Damian Spencer in attack. On 62 minutes Josh Pearson and Rhys Tyler linked well on the right, Pearson's cross turned over from Howell's header. From the resulting corner Pearson had a shot saved by Beatley keeping the Feet goal.

Fleet were level on 64 minutes when Casey, tracking a player out of the goal area, was adjudged to have handled the ball; Harkness turned quick to cross, Casey raised his arms to protect his face, the referee awarded a penalty. Up stepped former Shot Ty Smith who left Ruiz no chance as he drilled the ball into the back of the net.

The Shots went straight back to Fleet, on 65 mins when Howell took a free kick some 35 yards out, Riza took the ball on his chest, turned and volleyed, his strike had the keeper beaten, but not the post.

Ruiz's quality was required on 75 minutes when Wheeler found himself with time and in space to line up a left- footed drive from 25 yards. From our position on the Shots bench we were directly behind the flight of the ball, and from the moment it left his foot the ball was in the top right corner of the goal. However Ruiz dived to take the ball cleanly in what could easily have won a 'save of the month' competition, it was pure quality. The Shots had a final chance to prevent extra time on 87 minutes, Mekki slipped the ball in between two defenders into the path of Riza but his strike only found the side netting.

That was time. But the game could have been beyond the Shot in the opening minute of extra time, as Fleet had two very good shots, one just high and Ruiz tipping the other over the bar.

Josh Casey initiated a Shots attack, receiving a pass and surging into the Fleet half. His cross could only be cleared over for a corner. This was time for the Shots to make their last substitution, on 105 minutes Dan Smith came on to replace Cox in midfield.

Extra time progressed with Fleet making most of the play, not allowing the Shots time on the ball, but the home side were always open to the counter-attack, and the Shots tried to exploit this, unfortunately their efforts came to little. The referee called time and we moved into penalties.

The first three takers for the Shots, Louie Soares, Omar Riza and Dean Howell all scored, Soares and Riza taking the back of the net out, while Dean 'Ronaldo' Howell took three steps, stopped, shimmied then with Fleet's keeper going the wrong way, coolly side footed the ball into the opposite corner. Fleet's skipper Ty Smith (after scoring from the spot during normal time) saw his kick well saved by Ruiz, then James Field and Darren Wheeler both scored. All was needed was one more goal and up stepped a confident Josh Pearson. But Pearson's strike was well saved and with Eddie Smith scoring with Fleet's fifth kick, it meant both teams were still tied. To avoid sudden death Adam Mekki had to score. The ground was silent as Mekki drove the ball low and hard into the corner of the net.

That was it, the cup tie was over and to say that Fleet were unlucky over the balance of play would be fair. They tried to play football keeping the ball on the floor, moved the ball with pace and maintained a high tempo throughout the game, credit should be given to them as a squad.

Fleet Town: 1 ' Beatley, 2 ' Griffen, 3 ' Bird, 4 ' Rumfold, 5 ' Noakes, 6 ' Hemmings, 7 Field, 8 ' T Smith (C), 9 ' Smart, 10 ' Harkenss, 11 ' Wheeler.
12 ' Evans, 14 ' Asante, 15 ' Campbell, 16 ' E Smith, 17 - Smalley

Aldershot: 1 ' Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, 2 ' Rhys Tyler, 3 ' Josh Casey, 4 ' Carlton Cox (105 mins Dan Smith), 5 ' Calum Nimmo (35 mins Henrik Breimyr), 6 ' Ben Hutchings (c), 7 ' Josh Pearson, 8 ' Louis Soares, 9 ' Damian Spencer (60 mins Adam Mekki), 10 ' Omar Riza, 11 ' Dean Howell.
Sub not used; GK ' Luke Hutchings.

Goals:

Fleet Aldershot
64 T. Smith 37 Howell

Penalties

Field Soares
Wheeler Riza
E. Smith Howell
Mekki