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MATCH REPORT: Aldershot Town 1 Stockport County 2 (H)

Aldershot Town succumbed to a narrow 1-2 defeat at the hands of Stockport County at the EBB Stadium in the National League on Good Friday.

The visitors took the lead through Jack Stretton with 10 minutes left in the first half.

The lead was doubled by Ash Palmer from a corner in the 68th minute before Josh Rees pulled one back five minutes later.

Despite a late surge of pressure from the Shots, including the hit of a post, it wasn’t quite enough to grab the equaliser.

Danny Searle made just the one change to the starting line-up that beat Notts County on Tuesday, with Chike Kandi being replaced by Mo Bettamer.

Stockport had the first big chance of the game which fell to Sam Minihan. After a strong run from Stretton, the ball was passed back to the full-back who saw his attempt pushed wide of his right-hand post by Mitch Walker.

Walker was called into action a couple of minutes later when Harry Cardwell’s looping header from outside the box needed to be tipped onto the bar before the Aldershot goalkeeper could safely gather.

Liam Hogan was the next player to have a shot in the 13th minute. Thankfully for Walker, this one was from 30-yards out and way wide of the left post.

In the 24th minute, after a good spell of possession in the Stockport half, Toby Edser went close when he opened his body up and curled an effort just wide of the left post from inside the box.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead through Stretton. The winger managed to ride through the challenge attempt from Shadrach Ogie before hit shot deflected through Walker to bounce into the back of the net.

The Shots started the second period with intent as Josh Rees almost found Bettamer in the box with a dangerous cross.

Paddy Madden could’ve scored when a low cross from Stretten found him, but the forward could only skew it over the bar under pressure.

A long ball flicked on by Bettamer and further so by Harrison Panayiotou almost sat up nicely for Toby Edser, but the attempt was forced wide for a corner. Rees then saw his shot blocked on the cutback from the resulting set piece.

Shortly after Alfy Whittingham was replaced by George Fowler due to injury in, the visitors doubled their advantage in the 68th minute. This time it was a simple corner played deep to the back post where it was met by Palmer with a strong header into the back of the net.

The deficit was reduced just five minutes later when Edser’s touch fell perfectly into the path of an on-rushing Rees who took it in his stride before finishing into the bottom right corner with his left foot.

Stockport created another chance from a corner with ten minutes to play, but this time the header from Madden was parried and grasped well by Walker.

With five minutes left, the Shots manufactured a great chance for Edser who was in disbelief after his shot was blocked in front of the goalkeeper.

Despite Phillips hitting the post late in stoppage time with a close-range header and a few nearly scrambles, the home side were unable to get the equaliser.

 

Aldershot Town XI: 1 M Walker (G/K), 4 J Sendles-White, 8 J Rees, 9 M Bettamer (Hinds 72′), 11 H Panayiotou, 12 A Whittingham (Fowler 66′), 14 J Nouble, 15 J Anderson, 20 T Edser, 22 G Phillips, 25 S Ogie (Kinsella 77′)

Unused Subs: 6 K Lyons-Foster, 7 J Rowe

 

Stockport County XI: 1 B Hinchliffe (G/K), 2 S Minihan, 3 J Jennings, 4 L Hogan, 5 A Palmer, 18 R Croasdale, 28 W Collar (Southam-Hall 68′), 29 T Walker (Reid 89′), 30 H Cardwell, 32 J Stretton (Rooney 55′), 34 P Madden

Unused Subs: 26 R Fitzsimons, 31 E Newby