Aldershot Town progressed to the fourth round of the Buildbase FA Trophy after a 2-1 victory against Kingstonian.
The Shots made five changes to the starting XI that defeated Eastleigh in the Hampshire Derby last Saturday.
Scott Wagstaff, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong and Jayden Harris took their place in the starting line-up after all three featured off the bench in the recent 3-0 victory, and Mikael Ndjoli, who was an unused substitute in that game, was named as a starter by Mark Molesley. Ben Shroll also came in to make his first appearance of the season, after spending some time out on loan at Hampton and Richmond Borough earlier on in the campaign.
Giles Phillips took his place on the bench after being sidelined through injury earlier in the season, and academy player Lucias Vine was also named as an Aldershot Town substitute for the first time.
The opening ten minutes saw some good early pressure from Aldershot Town, and shortly after, a dangerous cross from Jayden Harris was deflected just wide of Rob Tolfrey’s goal and won The Shots a corner. However, this was dealt with by the visitors.
Just over five minutes later, Clunis provided a great cross of his own as it travelled all the way across the danger area, and only needed a touch from a teammate to put it into the net. It was touched behind by Wagstaff, but the resulting corner came to nothing.
On the half hour mark, Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong had two chances to put his side ahead. The first was an effort from the edge of the box, which looked like it was creeping into the bottom corner but was well denied by Tolfrey. The corner that followed was played across the ground to Berkeley-Agyepong 12 yards from goal, and after beating two defenders with a shot fake, his shot from a tight angle went high and wide of the mark.
Ten minutes from half time, The Ks had a couple of chances to take the lead. The first was a shot from Clunis after being played through nicely, but it was well saved by Walker. Immediately after, Akono-Bilongo put a cross into the box, and this time Walker held on to it.
But two minutes later, Kingstonian took the lead. A cross from the right-hand side by Rhys Murrell-Williamson found Daniel Ajakaiye, and his headed effort was out of Walker’s reach and found the bottom corner.
In the 43rd minute, the visitors almost had another before the break. A corner was met by the head of Ollie Cook, whose header went just wide of the target. Nevertheless, his side went in at half time a goal to the good.
The first chance of the second half came just a minute in. After a good run, Clunis found Banton whose low driven shot hit the post. The ball rebounded straight into Ajakaiye who had little time to react, with the ball bouncing off him and wide from a few yards out.
In the 53rd minute, Aldershot Town found an equaliser. After some great pressure on Cook from multiple red shirts, the defender scrambled to try and clear, but Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong managed to get in the way and the ball went straight into the net.
A few minutes later, The Shots came close to doubling their lead after Ndjoli picked up the ball on the right-hand side and played through substitute Ryan Glover. Many Shots fans thought his effort was in, but it went just wide of Tolfrey’s goal.
But on the hour mark, Aldershot Town did take the lead. An over-the-top through ball from Kinsella tried to pick out Whittingham, but as captain Simon Cooper looked to clear, he instead lifted it over Tolfrey and into his own net.
In the 67th minute, Walker was forced into action and made a great save, tipping the headed effort from Buchanan over the bar, and the corner that followed was also dealt with by The Shots.
Mikael Ndjoli tried to make it three five minutes later, but his long range effort flew over the bar.
A corner with 15 fifteen minutes to go was delivered by Kinsella and found Glover at the front post, but he couldn’t quite direct his header on target and didn’t trouble Tolfrey.
88 minutes in, and Tommy Willard, who had been involved from the minute he was brought on, almost got a well-deserved goal. A brilliant switch from Kinsella was taken down by the substitute, and his low driven shot was wide of the mark.
A couple of minutes into the additional four, Kingstonian nearly found a late equaliser after the ball fell to Aaron Lamont in the middle of the penalty area, but a great block by Ben Shroll denied his effort.
Aldershot Town managed to hold on for the final few minutes, and this victory saw their unbeaten streak extended to six and meant they were in the hat for the FA Trophy fourth round draw.
The Shots are next in action when Woking visit The EBB Stadium for a Boxing Day derby.
Aldershot Town FC: 37 L Walker (G/K), 3 L Kinsella (C), 4 S Wagstaff (T Willard 69’), 7 A Whittingham, 10 J Berkeley-Agyepong, 11 C Andrews (R Glover 51’), 16 C Jordan, 18 M Sylla, 20 M Ndjoli (B Webb 83’), 21 B Shroll, 23 J Harris
Unused Subs: 1 M Walker (G/K), 22 G Phillips, 38 L Vine, 40 W Angell
Kingstonian FC: 1 R Tolfrey (G/K), 2 N Clunis, 3 B Akono-Bilongo (J Barton 85’), 4 S Cooper (C), 5 O Cook, 6 K Beaney (J Puemo 90’), 7 D Ajakaiye, 8 G Sow, 9 E Buchanan, 10 J Banton (A Lamont 85’), 11 R Murrell-Williamson
Unused Subs: 15 J Gjoshe, 17 M Whitnell
