Chris Woods reports from Meadow Park…
Second half goals from Johnny Goddard and Scott Rendell see Aldershot Town pick up a vital 2-0 win in the glorious spring sunshine at Meadow Park against Boreham Wood.
An emphatic performance throughout saw the Shots limit the hosts to very few chances and went ahead on 58 minutes when Goddard converted Regan Booty’s cross. Captain Rendell sealed the game on 79 minutes from the penalty spot.
Gary Waddock made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Salford City last week, both enforced. Jake Gallagher came in for the suspended Adam McDonnell and Will Mannion came in for Jake Cole who pulled up injured in the warm-up.
The Shots came flying out the blocks and Rendell twice tested former Shots loanee George Legg inside three minutes.
Two spectacular chances fell to the Shots in two minutes; both from Bernard Mensah. The first saw Rendell square to him on the edge of the box, he curled an effort past Legg but it came off the post and the hosts cleared for a corner.
A minute later Mensah was again played in by Rendell but Legg got down low and quickly too, to get a strong hand on Mensah’s low effort and tip it wide.
Shots again went close through Goddard and Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong but it was the hosts who nearly took the lead before half time. Charlie Cooper’s corner almost swerved inside the near post but Mannion was alert to tip it over.
The dominance performance continued into the second half. Rendell recovered a loose ball and crossed in, David Stephens headed clear to Mensah on the edge of the box, he rolled it back to Luke Howell who’s thunderous effort beat Legg but smashed off the crossbar and the Wood cleared.
Then on 58 minutes the Shots persistence paid off. Booty left Danny Woodards for dead on the left-hand side and delivered a pinpoint low cross to Goddard who poked it in past Legg for his first Shots goal.
The hosts responded well and their best chance of the game came five minutes later. Cooper crossed a free kick for Stephens, Mannion clawed his header away into the path of Bradley Ash, his strike beat Mannion but Dominic Bernard was there to clear off the line.
When it appeared that the hosts were cranking the pressure up the Shots won a penalty. Mensah was brought down in the box and Rendell coolly converted past Legg, sending the keeper the wrong way and the Shots home with a deserved three points.
ALDERSHOT TOWN: Mannion, Bernard, Menayese, Elokobi, Booty, Gallagher, Howell, Goddard, Mensah (Grant 87), Berkeley-Agyepong (McClure 72), Rendell (Finney 90).
Subs not used: Cole, McCoy.
