Tyler Cordner’s first half strike was enough to ensure Aldershot put their name in the hat for the final eight of the FA Trophy in a 1-0 victory at the EBB.
The victory marked a third win of the season against Dorking, and also put the Shots two games from Wembley.
The Shots made three changes headed into the FA Trophy tie, with Effiong, Corey Jordan and Michael Klass all not featuring, as Karoy Anderson, Tyler Frost and Josh McQuoid taking their place in the Shots starting XI. Oliver Pendlebury and Jake Hutchinson were also left out the squad due to being cup tied.
After an opening 15 dominated by Shots in possession, it was Dorking who found themselves coming closest to opening the scoring. Ryan Seager found himself with a good position to shoot after a ball pulled back, but his effort was blocked by Haji Mnoga who threw himself infront of the shot to keep the ball out.
It was a game of few chances for Aldershot, and heading towards the break there was no real chances for the hosts. The Shots did come close to breaking through the Dorking defence in the 43rd minute, when Josh McQuoid played a ball over the top for Tommy Willard, but the striker was unable to time his run and was flagged offside.
Aldershot finally found a way through the tough Dorking defence in added time at the end of the first half courtesy of Tyler Cordner. Justin Amaluzor initially did really well to skip past Joshua Taylor and put in a cross for Josh McQuoid who saw his header saved incredibly by Daniel Lincoln, but on the rebound Tyler Cordner was able to put the ball into the back of the net to give Aldershot the lead.
HALF TIME: Shots 1-0 Dorking
Josh McQuoid had a good opening to double the scoring just before the hour, as he collected a loose ball in midfield and drove well at the Dorking goal. However, at the vital moment, McQuoid tried a pass into Justin Amaluzor instead of having a shot, and his pass was intercepted by Daniel Gallagher.
McQuoid, still recovering from injury, was taken off just after the hour. With his minutes still being managed, McQuoid was replaced by new loan signing from Swindon Morgan Roberts.
The game was becoming a lot more open heading into the final 20, and after a quiet first half in terms of chances, Aldershot were beggining to get a large handfull of opportunities. Ryan Glover had a beautiful chance to make it two, after some fine work saw Ollie Harfield saw him whip a ball to the back post, which was headed wide by Glover.
Dorking began to apply some pressure heading into the closing exchanges, putting in numerous crosses into the box. However, Shots defence was able to hold firm, and Luca Ashby-Hammond was not put under any serious pressure.
Dorking got their best chance of the day in the 84th minute, when Josh Taylor got himself onto the end of a good cross, but the forward put his effort over the bar.
Being put under some pressure, McNeilly turned to the bench, and took off Karoy Anderson for Northampton Town loanee Peter Abimbola.
Dorking were getting agonisingly close, and a whipped cross into the box from Joshua Taylor was headed onto the underside of the crossbar and somehow not into the back of the Shots net. The action was all at the Shots end, and the game fell into a pattern of balls come into the box, and the resillient Shots defence holding firm,
Joshua Taylor again came close for Dorking as the game headed into added time, as he got onto the end of a loose ball at the egde of the box, but rattled the post with his effort.
Aldershot were able to withstand the late pressure by Dorking, and booked their place in the quarter-final.
Shots team: 1. Luca Ashby-Hammond, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Joe Partington (C), 5. Tyler Cordner, 7. Justin Amaluzor, 8. Tyler Frost, 10. Josh McQuoid (29. Morgan Roberts, 62′), 15. Karoy Anderson (18. Peter Abimbola 84′), 22. Haji Mnoga, 23. Ryan Glover, 27. Tommy Willard, Unused subs: 36. Lloyd Thomas, 11. Harry Panayiotou, 35. Ashley Akpan, 37. Mason Obeng, 40. George Milner-Smith.
