Aldershot Town bounced back in style in front of the TNT Sports cameras, as first half goals from Tyler Frost and Lorent Tolaj were enough to give Tommy Widdrington all the points in a big clash in a race for the top seven.
Following Tuesday’s game against Fylde Tommy Widdrington was forced into changes to his team, Cian Harries missed out through suspension, and Coby Rowe along with Josh Barrett were rested due to injuries sustained during Tuesday’s game. Tyler Frost, Dejan Tetek and Rollin Menayese came into the team in their places.
The Shots had the best chance of the sides to take the lead, as a strong challenge by Haji Mnoga on Chris Conn-Clarke found Lorent Tolaj in a good position, and the Swiss Shots captain on the day fired wide from the edge.
Altrincham had their best moment of the opening half an hour through former Shot Justin Amaluzor, but after he was found in a good position on the counter attack by Conn-Clarke Ollie Harfield was able to deny him before he got a shot away.
Aldershot had been the better of the two sides in the first half, and got a just reward for their good play on the stroke of half time. As they often do Ryan Glover and Ollie Harfield linked up well, and it was the latter who put the ball across the box – Jack Barham was unable to win his header, but Tyler Frost collected the rebound, and scored fantastically high and into the top right of Matt Gould’s goal with a left footed finish.
A fantastic first half for the Shots had a second in added time, through who else but captain on the day Lorent Tolaj. Haji Mnoga won the ball back after a heavry touch by Regan Linney, and Josh Stokes did fantastically well to find Jack Barham, who ran through the Altrincham half and fired an effort straight at Matt Gould, but Lorent Tolaj was on hand to score the rebound to make it 2-0.
HALF TIME: Shots 2-0 Altrincham
Jack Barham had a good chance within seconds of the restart to make it 3-0, however after the ball bounced up and deflected off Lewis Baines Jack Barham volleyed his effort just wide of Matt Gould’s goal.
The game was quite end to end, but neither side made a clear cut chance before the Shots made their first change of the afternoon, as Harrogate loanee James Daly came on in place of Jack Barham with 67 minutes on the clock.
James Daly and Ollie Harfield had good chances in front of the East Bank, but as the rain poured over the EBB Stadium neither were able to take advantage of their opening. After a good shift in midfield Theo Widdrington was the next change, as Kwame Thomas replaced him. After a spell with no real chances Tommy Widdrington made his last change in the 86th, as academy graduate Maxwell Mullins came on in place of Ryan Glover.
After his first half goal and a wonderful shift out of position firstly on the right and then the left of the back five Tyler Frost was deservedly awarded the Man of the Match award for the afternoon as the game ticked into added time.
No more goals were added in the second 45, and the game ended with two goals and a clean sheet for Tommy Widdrington’s Shots. Attention now turns to another game at the EBB Stadium on Tuesday night as the Shots host Barnet.
Starting XI
- Jordi Van Stappershoef, 2. Haji Mnoga, 3. Ollie Harfield, 6. Theo Widdrington (39. Kwame Thomas, 78′), 8. Tyler Frost, 9. Lorent Tolaj (C), 10. Josh Stokes, 11. Ryan Glover (24. Maxwell Mullins, 86′), 22. Jack Barham (26. James Daly, 67′), 25. Rollin Menayese, 34. Dejan Tetek
Unused subs
7. Stuart O’Keefe, 13. Ashley Akpan
Attendance: 2507 (92 away)
