Rochdale were the visitors to the EBB Stadium on a damp early-evening in Aldershot as the Vanarama National League’s new broadcasting partner DAZN brought their cameras for the first time.
It was easy to see why DAZN chose to come to the EBB Stadium with 18 goals scored in the three games so far and as has been the case so far this season, it was a fairly open start to the game with both teams sharing equal opportunity to take the lead.
The first chances came the way of the hosts within the first four minutes as Cameron Hargreaves’ volley was easily gathered by David Robson, and James Henry blasted over the bar to prove he is human and can miss the target.
Rochdale then took it upon themselves to look to attack and perhaps should have taken the lead, but Ollie Harfield was positioned well to block an effort from Devante Rodney that looked to be heading into the bottom corner.
And just a minute later, still just into the seventh minute of the game, Rochdale should have taken the lead again but this time were denied by a fantastic save from Marcus Dewhurst as he denied Kairo Mitchell one-on-one.
But Rochdale did have their lead in the 13th minute, and it was Mitchell who made no mistake this time turning in a cross from Tobi Adebayo-Rowling down the right wing from close-range.
Aldershot perhaps should have had an equaliser from Kai Corbett in the 26th minute as James Henry won the ball back by the corner flag and played it across the box to Corbett whose low shot flew just past the post.
And Aldershot were punished as Rochdale scored a second just a minute later. Another cross from the right, this time via James Burger, was half cleared by Rollin Menayese but fell to the feet of Davante Rodney who turned it in from close-range.
James Henry scored a fantastic free-kick in the defeat to Tamworth and came so close to repeating that from even further out, only to be denied by the crossbar. Such was the power his free-kick was struck with, it rebounded straight back to Henry 25-yards out but his volleyed effort was blocked.
HALF-TIME
The second-half was a world of different from a pretty action-packed first-half. Rochdale were happy to sit on their two goal lead and were very well structured as a team in their defence.
It was Henry again who had the first real chance since the break, but his effort from outside the box after being teed up by Christian Maghoma’s smart win in Rochdale territory was fairly easily gathered by Robson.
Jack Barham, Ryan Jones and Josh Barrett were introduced to liven up the Shots attack, but Dale’s defensive solidity continued to stand firm despite the best efforts of Hady Ghandour and Barham forcing a press from the front.
Barham had the ball in the back of the net four minutes before the 90 were up as he headed home brilliantly from a cross from the right, but the Assistant Referee’s flag was raised to dash any hopes of a late Shots comeback.
The Shots continued to push forward in search of hope of getting a point from the game, but Hargreaves’ cross across the face of goal was just in front of Hady Ghandour as he stretched to turn it in, summing up the misfortune of Aldershot this evening.
Attendance: 2565 (169 Away)
Shots lineup: 28. Marcus Dewhurst, 3. Ollie Harfield (C), 5. Christian Maghoma, 6. Theo Widdrington, 7. Cameron Hargreaves, 9. Kai Corbett (22. Jack Barham, 56′), 18. Olly Scott (11. Ryan Jones, 68′), 21. Ashley Akpan, 23. Hady Ghandour, 25. Rollin Menayese, 27. James Henry (10. Josh Barrett, 67′).
Subs not used: 1. Jordi van Stappershoef, 2. Lachlan Byrd, 17. Aaron Jones, 34. Dejan Tetek.
Rochdale lineup: 31. David Robson, 2. Kyron Gordon (C), 4. Ryan East (5. Aaron Henry, 83′), 7. Tarryn Allarakhia (3. Finlay Armstrong, 71′), 8. Harvey Gilmour, 9. Kairo Mitchell, 10. Devante Rodney (15. Leon Ayinde, 77′), 14. Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, 19. Jake Burger (21. Connor McBride, 66′), 20. Dan Sassi (16. Kyle Ferguson, 90+1′), 33 Sam Beckwith.
Subs not used: 25. Joe Westley, 40. Ian Henderson.
