The Shots will be making the long journey back from Fylde this evening in good spirits alongside three points and a clean sheet after goals from Ryan Glover and Tyler Frost secured a 2-0 win.
Aldershot made 3 changes from the side that lost 3-4 to Chesterfield. Coby Rowe returned to the side following illness and Olly Scott were given starts. Haji Mnoga (international duty), Jack Barham (suspected calf knock) were missing and Maxwell Mullins was dropped to the bench.
The game was tipped to be a goal fest with both sides conceding a proportionately large amount of goals so far this season and Aldershot began with intent to be the first to score.
Josh Stokes and Tyler Frost both had sight of goal within the first 10 minutes but both efforts lacked power and were fairly easy to gather for Max Metcalfe.
That early lead almost came in the 12th minute when Ollie Harfield and Olly Scott both delivered dangerous crosses into the box from the left-wing that had they been a couple of inches further back, would have been turned goalwards.
Afc Fylde weren’t without chances of their own and Aldershot had a strong, outstretched arm by Jack Bycroft to thank for keeping the score goalless in the 16th minute. Luke Charman found the ball at his feet just yards out, but Bycroft’s reactions were quick and he denied the hosts’ number nine.
With Danny Philliskirk receiving treatment for a head injury and a drinks break called, a significant stoppage in play dulled the action but Lorent Tolaj attempted to catch some rested heads out with an audacious attempt at goal from 40-yards out in the 32nd minute. Metcalfe was caught way off his line by the strike and was scrambling back but the shot was safely over his bar.
The final chance of the first-half fell to the hosts. Fylde attacked briskly and a neat move between Charman and Siya Ligendza saw Ligendza through but another fine stop from Bycroft denied them again and saw the sides go into the break goalless.
HALF-TIME
The second-half failed to start as intensely as the first. Fylde had a greater share of the action than they did for much of the first-half but failed to really test Bycroft to the extent of their two best chances so far.
Aldershot were also lacking a clinical side in front of goal. A dangerous attack was quelled by a last-ditch Emeka Obi challenge in the 58th minute, before Lorent Tolaj forced Metcalfe into a neat save low-down with a driven shot in the 68th minute.
But, the deadlock was broken in the 69th minute and it was The Shots who took the lead through Ryan Glover. Kwame Thomas fed the ball to his left and Glover raced forward – He kept his composure and dragged the ball across goal to find the bottom, far corner.
Fylde thought they had an equaliser 10 minutes later, only to be denied by the Assistant Referee’s flag. Siya Ligendza raced onto a through ball and found the back of the net from close-range but he had started his run from an offside position and The Shots retained their lead.
And, just two minutes after that, Aldershot had their second of the afternoon. Tyler Frost scored the goal and what a goal it was! A powerful, driven effort from 25 yards out, that found the top corner and gave Metcalfe no chance.
Fylde inevitably pushed forward in search of a route back into the game but failed to really test an Aldershot defence who were determined to get their clean sheet.
Attendance:
Shots lineup: 25. Jack Bycroft, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Cian Harries, 5. Coby Rowe, 8. Tyler Frost (14. Henry Ochieng 90+4′), 9. Lorent Tolaj, 10. Josh Stokes (27. Tommy Willard 76′), 11. Ryan Glover, 17. Aaron Jones (C), 18. Olly Scott (24. Maxwell Mullins 90+7′), 39. Kwame Thomas.
Subs not used: 38. Finlay Westen, 21. Ethan Burnett.
