Aldershot saw off Dorking with a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Justin Amaluzor and Ryan Glover in what ended as a fairly comfortable victory for The Shots.
The home side made decent start and were able to attack the Dorking defence on a number of occasions within the first 10 minutes with Justin Amaluzor’s pace looking particularly troubling for the visitors.
However, no chances of any real note was seen as crosses and passes into the final third were intercepted at key moments with no shots on either goal.
The first chance fell to Tommy Willard. He received the ball on the edge of the box and shuffled past his marker but his left-footed strike was saved by Dan Lincoln in the Dorking goal.
Dorking’s first chance fell to dnagerman Ryan Seager as the striker’s diving header from close range glanced over the bar after good work from new signing Jason Prior down the right.
Both sides were struggling to retain possession with a number of sloppy passes and touches stopping numerous attacks but Aldershot were the side threatening most but just couldn’t hit the target with a number of chances in quick succession as half-time neared.
Firstly Amaluzor skied it from the right side of the area before Effiong turned with the ball in the box but saw his shot blocked and Ryan Glover also ballooned a shot over the bar.
But The Shots found the target and emphatically so shortly after as Amaluzor gave his side the lead. Inih Effiong sent Daniel Galagher with a fantastic touch inside but saw his shot well saved by Lincoln, however, only as far Amaluzor who powered the rebound home.
Half-Time
A combination that was so successful earlier in the season but hasn’t been so recently almost rekindled straight after half-time as an Ollie Harfield deep free-kick was met by Tyler Cordner whose header was just inches wide.
Dorking had their best chance of the game around the hour when James McShane smashed the post with the ball bouncing back, hitting Ashby-Hammond on the back and somehow bouncing away from danger and not into the back of the net.
The visitors were chasing the game and for much of it, chasing the ball as Aldershot had two fantastic chances to double their lead and make things more comfortable.
Firstly, Effiong beat the offside trap and found himself clean through on goal with plenty of time to think about his finish but rolled his shot past the post.
And minutes later, Josh McQuoid found himself unmarked in the centre but mistimed his jump and saw his header over the bar.
Aldershot were really pressing for a second and got their reward just before the 90. Joe Partington whipped in a fantastic cross and Ryan Glover raced into the middle to head home.
Ashby-Hammond has been fairly busy this season but today was a rare occasion for him to not see much action but as the game headed into added time he pulled off a fantastic save to deny Matt Briggs.
And Aldershot weren’t done either, Effiong was desperate for another goal to add to his collection and raced the entire length of the pitch before a Dorking defender made it back just in time to deny him.
Shots Lineup: 1. Luca Ashby-Hammond, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Joe Partington (c), 5. Tyler Cordner, 7. Justin Amaluzor, 9. Inih Effiong, 16. Corey Jordan (8. Tyler Frost 18′), 20. Michael Klass (19. Oliver Pendlebury 81′), 22. Haji Mnoga, 23. Ryan Glover, 27. Tommy Willard (10. Josh McQuoid 68′). Subs not used: 15. Karoy Anderson, 17. Jake Hutchinson.
