Aldershot Town’s unbeaten pre-season streak came to an end on Tuesday evening, succumbing to a 3-1 defeat to League One Oxford United in a midweek clash at the EBB. Despite leading through Kiki Oshilaja’s first-half strike, goals from Aidomo Emakhu, Gaitlin O’Donkor and Jeon Jin-Woo would see incoming manager Aaron Ramsey victorious in his first game in charge of the U’s.
The game was Aldershot’s third home match in a week after back-to-back home victories against Farnborough and Portsmouth, and as with the the aforementioned two, Aldershot started brightly. John Gilbert and Marcus Dinanga were consistently the two most advanced, putting early pressure on the U’s defence. The first chance of the game came within two minutes as Hakeem Sandah received the ball on the edge of the box and his shot lashed wide.
Good work from Basil Tuma saw him whip a cross towards Dinanga, but the striker miscued his effort and Oxford were able to clear the danger.
The Shots took the lead on the half hour mark, after Gilbert recycled a set-piece and floated a lobbed ball back into the danger zone; Michael Stickland reacted first, getting a crucial sliding touch and finding his CB partner Kiki Oshilaja who rolled it into an empty net.
Oxford United reacted well to going behind. Greg Leigh found space to drive at The Shots’ defence after Oshilaja felt he was fouled, delivering a teasing ball that was well intercepted by Nino Adom-Malaki. The ball fell to the edge of the box, and an effort from the U’s was well wide of Hayes’ goal.
The U’s did get back on level terms soon after, when Oshilaja was caught in possession by Oxford’s No.19 Gaitlin O’Donkor who squared the ball across to Aidomo Emakhu who had time to pick his spot and put his team level.
Just after making it 1-1, Oxford struck again. The U’s second was caused by a long ball going straight through to Hayes who missed his kick and Oshilaja couldn’t do enough to stop O’donkor from scoring. Nick Hayes went down and received treatment following the mixup at the back. Two goals in two minutes marked the first time Scott Davies’ men had been behind this season.
The match continued to be played in a competitive spirit throughout with a surprising amount of heavy-hitting challenges for this time of the year. None more noticeably, between Oshilaja and O’Donkor after Kiki dispossessed the attacker the duel finally boiled over and needed the referee to intervene.
HALF-TIME: Aldershot Town 1 – 2 Oxford United
At the interval, Scott Davies opted to replace Elijah Oladunjoye with Tyrese Dyce in the full-back position.
Straight from the restart, there was a chance for the U’s as Aidomo Emakhu flicked a header on and found O’Donkor whose half volley fired into the side netting.
O’Donkor continued to be a thorn in the side, running in behind an important recovery challenge from Michael Stickland was required to clean up the danger, even when Oxford’s attacker looked to be in an offside position.
There was a lot less to report on with chances few and far between in the second-half for The Shots in North-East Hampshire.
At the hour mark, Oxford manager Aaron Ramsey opted for a completely new XI making ten changes as the U’s used their first pre-season game to rotate minutes.
Hayes was forced into a quickfire double stop, as U’s player Elliot Wheeler fired a shot that was well pushed away from a crowded penalty area before a tame shot was easily claimed, much to his relief.
A rare burst towards the East Bank faithful saw Sandah win the ball high up and drill a shot that just bounced wide of the post, with the U’s GK scrambling across.
In the 70th minute, Scott Davies called upon five new substitutes: Abrahams, Frimpong, Wyllie, Peart and Lawless all replaced Tuma, Gilbert, Odusanya, Dinanga and Borgis.
Kwaku Frimpong’s first action on the pitch was picking up the ball and driving at Oxford’s defence before eventually releasing a shot that was well clear of the crossbar.
Jeon Jin-Woo was Oxford’s most threatening player since completely rotating the side, and gave The Shots plenty of warning signs when Hayes denied an effort destined for the top corner.
Moments later, it was Jin-Woo who made the most of a loose touch from Oshilaja and found himself one-on-one in behind. From then, he coolly dinked the ball over the head of Hayes to extend the visitors’ advantage.
Since that third goal went in, the game petered out as a contest. Oxford looked to control the game with a two goal advantage and while The Shots continued to battle hard, they struggled to get any momentum going.
A first defeat in pre-season for the Shots, but Scott Davies’ side would take many positives from another competitive match against established EFL opposition, as the Shots continue to sharpen up ahead of the new campaign. The side will now prepare for a trip to Hanwell Town on Saturday (3pm kickoff) for their penultimate pre-season fixture with just a few weeks until the 26/27 season officially begins.
Full Time: Aldershot Town 1-3 Oxford United
Aldershot Town Lineup:
- Nick Hayes, 4 Jacob Borgnis (71’), 5. Kiki Oshilaja (79’), 6. Dominic Odusanya (71’), 8. John Gilbert (71’), 9. Marcus Dinanga (71’), 10. Basil Tuma (71’), 11.Hakeem Sandah, 12. Michael Stickland, 18. Nino Adom-Malaki, 24. Elijah Oladunjoye (‘46)
Subs: 40. Charlie Patmore, 7. Tristan Abrahams (71’), 15. Kwaku Frimpong (71’), 16. Jack Matton (79’), 17. Tyrese Dyce (‘46), 20. Marcus Wyllie (71’), 21. Brody Peart (71’), 23. Conor Lawless (71’)
Written by Jack Brunning
