Aldershot Town were eliminated from the FA Youth Cup after a 0-1 defeat to Swindon Town. Conor Britchford-Stanley scored the only goal of the game that could have gone either way.
The first chance of the game fell to the visitors as Fletcher Hubbard hit the post in the sixth minute. The winger cut in off the left-wing and sent in a looping cross that went over everyone before striking the woodwork.
The opening 10 minutes were very much in favour of Swindon Town but Aldershot grew into the game and began to create chances of their own, doing very well with possession.
And they had the ball in the back of the net in the 19th minute, only for it to be ruled out by the Assistant Referee’s flag. A neat, short-corner routine was well executed and Mark Holley’s cross was headed in at the back-post by Kaden Hughes, but Danny-James Carter was stood in an offside position in the middle and was deemed to be interfering with play.
It was a very even opening of proceedings as both teams exchanged promising spells of possession, but a slip from Eddie Cooper disrupted Aldershot’s patient build-up play and Miles Obodo was through on goal. Alex Walder, however, raced out of his goal and denied the Swindon striker superbly.
The young Shots ‘keeper was unable to repeat his heroics in the 30th minute, though, when Conor Britchford-Stanley gave the visitors the lead. Cutting in from the right-wing, his curling effort found the back of the net.
HALF-TIME
The second-half saw Storm Ciaran make it’s untimely arrival as the rain began to pour down. The game, as a result, became a damp affair in more than one way with next to no chances on either goal.
In fact, despite a tame effort from Mark Holley easily gathered by Redman Evans in the Swindon net, it took until the 84th minute for the first chance of any real note.
A free-kick in a dangerous position down the left-wing for Aldershot was initially cleared, but Eddie Cooper launched an effort at goal from outside the area and forced Evans into a good save.
And thus, despite a dangerous break forward being interrupted by the Assistant Referee’s flag as Tommy Nelson broke the offside trap just that bit too quickly, Aldershot failed to breakthrough Swindon Town’s defence and their FA Youth Cup journey came to an end.
Shots Lineup: 1. Alex Walder, 2. Horatio Fowler, 3. Eddie Cooper, 4. Milo Derham, 5. Kaden Hughes, 6. Morgan Elliott (C), 7. Danny-James Carter (14. Charlie Sell 64′), 8. Mark Holley, 9. Marc Nouble (12. Krystian Komosinski 78′), 10. Toby Nelson (18. Tommy Nelson 84’), 11. Maddox McMillan.
Subs not used: 13. Euan Brindley, 15. Lucas Turner, 16. Reece Mather, 17. Naman Gurung.
