Aldershot Town continued their pre-season with a trip to Coles Park, to take on Haringey Borough, who play in the Isthmian League Premier division.
Shots manager Danny Searle named a strong starting line-up, with a couple of changes from Saturday’s 2-1 win against Sutton United at Farnborough, Tommy Willard & Trialist A coming in for Mo Bettamer & Alfie Saunders, who were both named on the bench for second half involvement.
Aldershot had the first decent chance of the evening in the 7th minute, when Jayden Harris headed just over the bar from a Lewis Kinsella corner. The home side asked some questions of the Town defence, but it wasn’t long before a smart move saw Toby Edser pulling the trigger with a powerful strike from the edge of the area, only for a home defender to produce a great block.
On 18 minutes, Mitch Walker did well to bravely smother a dangerous looking low cross at the feet of Boro’s No.9. Soon after Leacock-McLeod’s curled effort sailed just over Walker’s bar. Alfy Whittingham produced the next strike on goal, a fizzing drive from fully 30 yards, which sent Boro keeper Jonathan Miles scrambling away to his right to tip behind.
On the half hour mark, Boro’s Christos Djamas stooped to head just over Walker’s bar, but despite both sides carving out plenty of chances, it remained goalless. Then Rakim Richards right footed volley beat everyone but cannoned back off the foot of Walker’s right hand post.
Aldershot finished the half on the front foot, but despite a succession of corners and crosses, could not breach the robust and resolute Haringey defence.
The Shots’ made 7 changes at the break, with only Fowler, Harris, Willard & Trialist A staying on. It wasn’t long before Mo Bettamer got a shot away, but a deflection took some of the power off it and made the save easier for Miles. As the hour mark approached, Willard was fouled 25 yards out and from the resulting free-kick, Bettamer’s curled strike brought another good save out of Miles.
The home side made 6 changes on the hour mark and soon after Aldershot made 3 themselves, with Milner-Smith, Hughes and Trialist D making their entry.
The match remained highly energetic and competitive but produced very little in the way of clear cut chances. As the game entered the final ten minutes, the impressive Ellis Ward sent a fine pass out to Bettamer on the right and then ran on to receive the return ball, but couldn’t quite get his shot away.
Harvey Walker picked up an injury trying to go around the outside of his marker and had to come off, leaving Shots’ to play the final ten minutes with just ten men. They still continued to create chances though and Watts shot into the side-netting on 88 minutes. Trialist D also got a shot away from a tight angle but once again it was blocked.
All in all a useful workout for both squads, with The Shots remaining unbeaten in pre-season.
Aldershot Town First Half XI: 1 M Walker, 2 G Fowler, 3 L Kinsella (C), 4 J Harris, 5 G Phillips, 6 K Lyons-Foster, 7 A Whittingham, 8 T Edser, 9 M Bettamer, 10 Trialist A, 11 C Andrews
Aldershot Town Second Half XI: 13 R Hall, 2 G Fowler (20 G Milner-Smith 62), 4 J Harris (21 J Hughes 62), 10 Trialist A, 12 A Saunders, 14 Trialist B, 15 Trialist C, 17 E Watts, 9 M Bettamer, 18 T Willard (16 Trialist D 62), 19 H Walker
