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MATCH REPORT: Chesterfield 1-0 Shots

Aldershot fought hard and battled well in a baking hot Technique Stadium but it was the hosts who came away with all three points as a Liam Mandeville strike was enough to see out the game for The Spireites.

The game took a while to start flowing. Chesterfield looked to dominate possession and Aldershot were set up well to stop the hosts from entering their final third.

It took over 20 minutes for the game to see its first shot on target. Ollie Banks saw a free-kick and an effort from distance sail over the bar before coming a bit closer and forcing Luca Ashby-Hammond into a save.

The Shots’ first chance came just a minute later. Ryan Glover did really well down the right-wing, out-jumping Chesterfield centre-half Jamie Grimes in the air and picking out Inih Effiong in the box but he couldn’t recreate his goal from last weekend as his downwards header trickled wide.

Jeff King looked dangerous as a late arrival in the box for The Spireites having earlier had an effort on goal blocked by Ollie Harfield and the right-back popped up again just after the half-hour finding a lot of space about 10 yards out but his effort was way over the bar.

With not long left until the break, The Shots defence were caught in possession just outside their own box. Michael Gyasi received the ball but his curling effort was over the bar.

Out of nothing just moments later, Tommy Willard suddenly found himself one on one with Spireites ‘keeper Ross Fitzsimons from a quick, deep free-kick over the top but the winger dragged his shot wide. 

And though half-time was minutes away, the action still wasn’t over. Ashby-Hammond was forced into making a smart stop lowdown before pulling off a contender for save of the season.

From a wide free-kick, a Chesterfield attacker rose highest and as his header looked to be destined for the bottom corner, the Fulham loanee clawed the ball away from the goal-line Banks-esque.

HALF-TIME

Chesterfield came close in the early minutes of the second-half, Joe Quiqley was picked out in the centre but his header went just wide.

The hosts continued to look dangerous as action restarted. Branden Horton advanced on the overlap and his dangerous ball across the face of goal was met by Michael Gyasi at the back-post who somehow missed from just yards out with the goal gaping.

Aldershot were up against it but came inches from opening the scoring in the 58th minute. From a Harfield corner, The Shots rattled the bar. I believe it was Tyler Cordner, Chesterfield tweeted it was Joe Partington and BBC Surrey say it was Ryan Glover so we’ll leave it unclaimed for now…

But the hosts pressure would pay off after the hour. Liam Mandeville rounded Ashby-Hammond and his shot from a tight angle found the bottom corner to give the hosts what was probably a deserved lead.

Substitutions and a water break broke up the play but it was The Shots who had the first chance of note after the goal – though it took more than 10 minutes to materialise. Justin Amaluzor was introduced and showed quick feet cutting in from the right but his shot was well wide.

Giles Phillips then came close to levelling for Aldershot with eight minutes to go. A nice ball in from the left by Ollie Harfield invited the centre-back to beat Fitszsimons in the air but his header was over the bar.

The game closed out with Chesterfield seeing more of the ball as Aldershot’s efforts for an equaliser turned frantic and the hosts saw out the win.

  1. Luca Ashby-Hammond, 2. Archie Davies, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Joe Partington (C), 5. Tyler Cordner, 6. Kodi Lyons-Foster (22. Giles Phillips 50′), 9. Inih Effiong, 10. Josh McQuoid (20. Michael Klass 57′), 16. Corey Jordan, 23. Ryan Glover (7. Justin Amaluzor 73′), 27. Tommy Willard.