Aldershot’s third pre-season outing this summer was our first midweek run out and saw a visit to Hanworth Villa as the Shots scored five for the second game in a row to pick up another victory.
Two completely different lineups for the first and second half gave Tommy Widdrington another opportunity to test out combinations within his squad.
The Shots found an early lead through an unlikely source as Theo Widdrington found the back of the net with a low, curling strike from outside the box which was on the rebound after Josh Barrett had rattled the post with his own curling strike from outside the area.
Aldershot enjoyed the greater share of possession throughout the early stages but it took until the 22nd minute for their next chance of real note. Kai Corbett showed good feet down the left of the box to beat his man but his cross into the centre was powerful and Hady Ghandour, trying to control it with his chest, deflected it wide from just yards out with the goal gaping.
Corbett made no mistake from close-range himself a few minutes later, however, as he doubled his side’s lead with his second goal in two pre-season games. Josh Barrett beat the offside trap with a clever run and squared it to Corbett who controlled the cross well with his first-time finish.
Luke Jenkins headed over from a corner after doing well to rise highest on the half hour mark, but it took until just before half-time to threaten the Hanworth goal again.
Ghandour pressed high and did really well to win the ball off a Villa defender in his own area and he unselfishly squared it for Barrett to easily tap-in to an open net from a few yards out and score Aldershot’s third.
HALF-TIME
Eleven changes were made at half-time with a whole new Shots side sent out to take on Hanworth Villa for the second 45, but it took a while for any chances of note happen.
On the hour, Ollie Bray turned his man well and broke into a the box but from a tight angle, was denied by a good save low down by Hanworth’s ‘keeper and Ryan Jones beat his man with some quick acceleration down the left, only to see his effort narrowly over the bar a few moments later.
Haydon Vaughan played a neat little pass through to split the Hanworth defence open and slot in Trialist B in the 72nd minute, but he missed the target and a couple of minutes later, Maxi Mullins forced a good save from close-range.
But the second-half XI did find the back of the net in the 83rd minute through some really neat work from Ryan Jones. Moving to play behind the front two for the closing stages, he cut in from the right and found the bottom corner with a great finish from just outside the area.
And they weren’t done there! A Haydon Vaughan corner caused problems in the 88th minute and as it fell to Ollie Bray, he made no mistake from close-range and added a fifth for the Shots.
Another 90 minutes of action for The Shots with important minutes for the squad and some more promising performances!
Thanks to Hanworth Villa for their hospitality and welcome to our supporters, staff and players!
First-half lineup: 1. Marcus Dewhurst, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. George Milner-Smith, 7. Tyler Frost, 8. Cameron Hargreaves, 9. Kai Corbett, 12. Theo Widdrington, 15. Luke Jenkins, 18. Olly Scott, 21. Hady Ghandour, 22. Josh Barrett.
Second-half lineup: 13. Jordi van Stappershoef, 2. Maxwell Mullins, 5. Christian Maghoma, 6. Trialist A, 11. Ryan Jones, 14. Ollie Bray, 16. Keane Anderson (17 Billy Walsh, 80′), 19. Freddie Stanley (23. Joe Lewis-Evans, 80’), 20. Haydon Vaughan, 24. Ollie Turner, 25. Trialist B.