Aldershot Town returned to winning ways in the Vanarama National League with a 2-0 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge at the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Monday afternoon.
Mo Bettamer converted from the sport with two minutes left in the first half after Kenny Clark hand-balled it inside the area.
Joel Nouble doubled the advantage within just 25 seconds of the second period from close range before the Shots controlled the rest of proceedings to get a clean sheet on top of the three points.
Danny Searle made two changes from the loss at home to Stockport County on Good Friday. George Fowler, who replaced the injured Alfy Whittingham during Friday’s match, took the number 12’s place in the starting XI. Kodi Lyons-Foster also came in to the side, replacing the departing Giles Phillips who returned to parent club Wycombe Wanderers this week.
The hosts probably started the better for the two sides. Angelo Balanta had two good headed chances, from corners in the opening 16 minutes, the first a glancing effort and the other just inches wide of Mitch Walker’s left post after a good contact.
Liam Gordon produced a good cross in the 18th minute on Paul McCallum’s head who also came close going very close of that left post again.
Josh Rees was fouled about 25 yards out a minute later, before Bettamer’s free kick was easily held by Elliot Justham.
The best chance of the game to this point fell to Kodi Lyons-Foster, who saw his half-volley inside the box after a looping ball from Harrison Panayiotou go agonisingly wide of the left post.
Just a minute later, Joel Nouble’s header inside the box was met by Rees who saw his effort tipped over by Justham.
The next big chance was ten minutes later when Bettamer won a header from a set-piece that he himself own, but the forward was unable to direct it on target.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 43rd minute. Panayiotou’s cross was adjudged to have been handled by Clark before Bettamer stepped up to take the penalty and smash down the centre of the goal.
Jamie Sendles-White forced another simple save for Justham with a prod towards goal in the stoppage time at the end of the first half from a set-piece.
The start to the second half was even better than the way the Shots ended it, and scored within 25 seconds of the second period through Nouble. The forward picked up a great position to force the ball home from close range after a good cross from Jermaine Anderson from the left-hand-side.
Toby Edser should’ve made it three in the 56th minute, and he knew it. Panayiotou spun his marker on the right-hand-side before swinging a cross into the back post right onto Edser’s head, but the midfielder could only direct it wide of the left post from close range.
Edser thought he had picked out Rees a few minutes later but the number eight couldn’t quite get enough contact with his head from five yards out to get it on target.
Moments later, Rees thought he was through on goal but the play was called back for offside.
Dean Rance and Balanta both had efforts from distance , one blocked and one volley blazed over the tip, with 20 minutes to play.
Former shot Rance had a chance to get a consolation in stoppage time but Walker managed to tip his bouncing header over the bar, preserving the Aldershot Town clean sheet.
Dagenham & Redbridge XI: 1 E Justham (G/K), 4 D Rance (C), 6 K Clark, P McCallum, 10 A Balanta, 12 M Robinson, 14 G Saunders (McQueen 55′), 15 A Eleftheriou (Vilhete 55′), 20 W Wright, 26 J Jones (Reynolds 46′), 27 L Gordon
Unused Subs: 18 M Sagaf, 23 S Khan
Aldershot Town XI: 1 M Walker (G/K), 2 G Fowler, 4 J Sendles-White (C), 6 K Lyons-Foster, 8 J Rees, 9 M Bettamer (Kinsella 78′), 11 H Panayiotou (Miller 81′), 14 J Nouble, 15 J Anderson, 20 T Edser, 25 S Ogie
Unused Subs: 7 J Rowe, 23 K Colombie, 28 K Hinds
