Aldershot Town made it 19 points from a possible 21 on Wednesday night, beating 21st place Braintree Town 2-1 away from home to further remove themselves from relegation contention. Sean Patton’s second-half opener vindicated the side’s fruitless early control, while James Henry’s 80th minute strike cancelled out Taylan Harris’ equaliser to claim all three points on the road for a third time this calendar year.
John Coleman made two changes at the back, with Luke Jenkins and Olly Scott coming in for Matt Penney and Brody Peart, with captain Ryan Hill occupying a more attacking role from the offset. The Shots were also boosted by the return of two attacking options in the form Kwame Thomas and Charlie Warren, who both made the bench.
It was the incoming Luke Jenkins who almost opened the scoring, as his angled cross from the right hand touchline would inadvertently float goal bound, testing the fingertips of a backtracking Mason Terry.
A misplaced pass from Emmanuel Omrore in the host’s defensive third was pounced on by James Henry, who reacted quickly to lay Ryan Hill in down the right-hand side. Hill’s low cross was met by Cameron Hargreaves with his back to goal, before laying back to a late arriving Henry, who, after setting up to strike, believed he was unfairly taken down by Terry, to little sympathy from the referee.
Ryan Hill would continue to prove an attacking threat, as his first effort of the night sailed narrowly wide. A ball to Sean Patton was held up on the edge of the box, before the young forward proceeded to lay back to Hill 25-yards from goal, with the skipper’s first time effort leaving Mason Terry planted, but fortunate to see the ball land to other end of his left-hand post.
In a game where nine different Aldershot Town players produced a shot on target, Olly Scott produced perhaps the pick of the bunch on the half-hour mark. Receiving the ball in midfield, the fullback took two touches before unleashing from fully 35 yards. Destined for the very top right corner, Mason Terry produced a tremendous save to keep things square.
While certainly under the cosh, Braintree would create a big chance of their own in the first half, Taylan Harris’ downwards facing header requiring a typically athletic save from Coniah Boyce-Clarke to keep the tie goalless.
HALF-TIME
The second half begun much like the first, as a frustrated Shots forward line eventually received due rewards for relentless pressure. A deep cross found James Henry towards the right of the box, before the midfielder created a yard for himself and struck with his left. While the initial shot had the potential to squeeze in the near-post, a wicked deflection off of Sean Patton’s thigh diverted the ball in the opposite direction, duping an already diving Terry and opening the scoring.
The goal, while perhaps fortunate in its conception, made it five in six for the Reading loanee, and just five minutes later, the travelling support though he may have got his sixth. A diagonal ball from Cameron Hargreaves saw Patton break well in front of the Irons back line, finishing coolly across the keeper. However, the linesman denied the Irishman of his successive Shots brace.
The denial of a second was made all the more costly as a moment of quality from the hosts saw honours even once more. Sahid Kamara received the ball near the half-way line before turning and quickly releasing a pinpoint through ball to Taylan-Harris. Having timed his run superbly, the forward got the better of Boyce-Clarke to level the tie.
A statement of intent from John Coleman saw the arrival of forwards Kwame Thomas and Charlie Warren from the bench, who were tasked with concocting a late winner. It would be one of these changes that developed the all important chance, as Warren, receiving the ball from deep, took two touches before striking beautifully on his left from 25-yards. With the shot looking certain to creep inside the post, Terry produced a fine save, though could only palm into the direction of James Henry, who was tasked only with poking the ball home from close range.
A late spell of attacking pressure may have salvaged things for the home side, though two outstanding saves from Coniah Boyce-Clarke would see out the fixture, sending the Shots home, once again, with all three points.
41. Coniah Boyce-Clarke, 4. Luke Jenkins (24. Charlie Warren 62′), 7. Cameron Hargreaves, Jed Meerholz, 17. James Henry, 19. Ryan Hill (C), 22. Oliver Scott (42. Matt Penney 46′), 23. Hady Ghandour, 25. Will Nightingale, 29. Sean Patton (9. Kwame Thomas 62′), 33. Sam Inwood
Subs not used: 16. Pat Nash, 11. Brody Peart, 12. Keane Anderson, 15. Cristy Grogan
- Mason Terry, 2. Aidan Francis-Clarke, 4. George Langston (C), 5. Emmanuel Omrore, 6. James Vennings, 8. Taylan Harris, 14. John Akinde (9. Lewis Walker 64′), 16. Goran Babic (11. Chay Cooper 71′), 17. Jacob Pinnington, 18. Sahid Kamara (24. Zavier Massiah-Edwards 79′), 21. Ben Drake (3. Ryan Clampin 79′)
Subs not used: 13. Josh Blunkell, 10. Amir Hadi, 15. Tommy Smith
