The Shots put in a very strong performance in a 2-0 win against Dorking Wanderers as their winning pre-season continued thanks to a brace from Josh Barrett.
The first chance of the game fell to the home side as they broke down their right wing and a cut back to the edge of the box was placed wide by Dennon Lewis.
A few minutes later, Frank Vincent, who spent half a season at the EBB Stadium a few years ago as a central midfielder but now operating as a left wingback, rattled the frame of the goal with a deflected effort after cutting inside.
But despite Dorking’s early chances, it was the Shots who took the lead in the 11th minute. Maxwell Mullins did brilliantly deep in his own territory to clear the ball down the right and Cameron Hargreaves did superbly to keep it alive and eclipse Dan Phybus for pace and slot the ball through to Josh Barrett who, one-on-one with Harrison Foulkes in the Dorking net, rounded the ‘keeper and finished into the open goal.
Six minutes later, they were close to doubling their advantage as a perfectly-weighted pass down the left from Tristan Abrahams allowed Tyler Frost to dink it past the on-rushing Foulkes but as Mullins and Barrett raced in to fire into the open net, the ball was cleared by a Dorking defender.
Dorking then had another two attempts that saw them coming close to an equaliser as Alfie Rutherford was denied by either a point-blank Marcus Dewhurst save or block (Dorking’s floodlight was obstructing view!), before George Francomb headed just wide at the far-post.
But the game seemed to switch between spells of attack for both sides and Tyler Frost began to really enjoy himself down the left after the half-hour mark as he constantly left Francomb for dead. In the 30th minute, his low-cross after skipping past Dorking’s wingback was blocked but two minutes later he found Tristan Abrahams in the middle who, heavily-marked, fired over the bar.
It was then another moment of Barrett magic as he scored his and Aldershot’s second of the game in the 35th minute. With space in midfield, he continued to advance forward, twisting and turning the Dorking defence before finding enough space to find the bottom corner from the edge of the box with a perfect finish.
The Shots should have had a third when Abrahams raced through on goal down the left, but Foulkes did well to make himself big and save the Shots’ striker’s effort.
HALF-TIME
Only one change was made at half-time by Tommy Widdrington as Ryan Hill came in for Tyler Frost and for the first time this pre-season, no change was made in goal and Dewhurst was called straight back into action within the first minute of the second-half as he had to scramble back across his goal and superbly keep out a strike from close-range that looked destined to hit the back of the net.
The Shots were displaying some really nice football at times and this was evident in the 55th minute as they came close to a beautiful goal. Dejan Tetek turned his man under heavy pressure and played it out to Theo Widdrington in space. His ball out down the left was inch-perfect for Cameron Hargreaves to run onto but as he cut in on his right foot, his shot clipped the post as it inched wide.
Hargreaves and Tetek combined well once more just minutes later as Tetek found his skipper for the afternoon down the left before receiving it back on the edge of the box. He tried to feint past his man but it just got away from him as he broke into the box.
The Shots midfield were playing some brilliant stuff but credit must also go to the back three who would routinely look to start attacks despite coming under pressure from the Dorking press.
Kwame Thomas’ introduction gave the Dorking defence a new and different threat to deal with but it was the same old story in the buildup with some lovely Aldershot football on display as they worked the ball forward with practically every outfield player getting a touch but Thomas’ effort was saved.
Hady Ghandour has scored his fair share of goals this pre-season, but he could only come close during this fixture as with the game in it’s final minutes, he tested Foulkes with a looping effort and after receiving the ball from the following corner in a good position, could only fire over the bar.
Attendance: 1065 (396 Away)
Shots lineup: 1. Marcus Dewhurst, 5. Trialist, 6. Theo Widdrington (14. Jed Meerholz, 67′), 7. Cameron Hargreaves (C)(26. Joe Lewis-Evans, 90′), 8. Tyler Frost (19. Ryan Hill, 46′), 10. Josh Barrett (9. Kwame Thomas, 56′), 24. Maxwell Mullins (28. Archy Taylor, 74′), 30. Tristan Abrahams (18. Kiban Rai, 80′), 32. James Clarridge (20. Haydon Vaughan, 85′), 34. Dejan Tetek (23. Hady Ghandour, 67′), 42. Matt Penney (12. Keane Anderson, 80′).
