The Shots fell to a 2-1 defeat to Southend United at Roots Hall as Noor Husin and Gus Scott-Morriss’ goals gave the hosts a two-goal advantage. Cameron Hargreaves, got one back with just over 10 minutes of the 90 remaining, but despite a late push, it was The Shrimpers who won all three points.
Tommy Widdrington made one change to the side that fell to defeat at Eastleigh at the weekend as James Henry’s first-half substitution due to injury ruled him out of this midweek clash. Kai Corbett came into the startling lineup for Henry and Emmanuel Maja made the bench.
The hosts started the more lively as Josh Walker had two early chances. In the eighth minute, he cut in from the left and forced Marcus Dewhurst to turn it around the post and as the resulting corner was kept alive, he spurned a golden opportunity to score the opening goal of the game as he blasted over from close-range.
Dewhurst then had to be called into action again in the 14th minute as he kept out a shot from Leon Parillon from outside the box.
It took a little while for Aldershot’s attacks to begin to look threatening, but in the 15th minute, Kai Corbett played a smart ball out to Aaron Jones on the right on the counter and the wing-back cut it back for Josh Barrett who couldn’t connect properly.
Kai Corbett was involved again five minutes later on another break forward by the Shots as his touch sent Josh Barrett in on goal. A good recovery from the Southend defence put Barrett under pressure, but turning and turning again he made space for himself on the edge of the area but fired high over the bar.
After brief lull in attacking chances for either side, Southend and Aldershot began sharing decent opportunities to take the lead. Leon Parillon broke down the Southend left in the 36th minute and fired a low cross into the six-yard box that Olly Scott superbly cleared behind for a corner.
Two minutes later, Josh Barrett was the beneficiary of a poor clearance from a Tyler Frost cross, but his half-volley was saved by Nick Hayes. A few minutes after that he did really well to wriggle free in the box under two challenges and played it back to Theo Widdrington whose dink back into the box couldn’t be brought down by Barrett or Barham.
HALF-TIME
Seven minutes into the second-half, Southend took the lead. The ball was played to Noor Husin on the edge of the box and he found the bottom corner with a well-placed effort.
Aldershot were still able to show their assertions on the break and just before the hour, Jack Barham raced onto a ball down the right but his powerful, first-time cross was just in front of Josh Barrett at the far-post for what would surely have been an equaliser.
The hosts spurned another golden opportunity from close-range in the 62nd minute as this time, James Golding fired the ball over the bar as he connected with a corner.
Just a minute later, Kai Corbett’s long-range effort was easily gathered by Hayes, but as the Shots won the ball back and recycled the attack, they were left wondering how they didn’t find an equaliser. The ball fell kindly to Josh Barrett in the box and he found space to place a shot that hit the inside of the post and somehow evaded Cameron Hargreaves who had raced in for the rebound. It then fell for Theo Widdrington to fire in a shot from outside the area that Hayes was once more equal to.
But in the 71st minute, Aldershot were punished as the hosts scored a second. Right-back Gus Scott-Morriss is Southend’s top scorer this season and he added his 13th, making a late run to the back-post to turn in Jack Bridge’s cross.
The Shots were able to get one back in the 78th minute as they launched hope of a fightback. Ryan Jones’ corner was knocked down to Cameron Hargreaves and the midfielder fired a powerful effort into the bottom corner.
The home side were defending their lead well but it was becoming increasingly more one-way traffic towards their goal as the Shots pushed for an equaliser. As the game reached the 90th minute, Tyler Frost broke down the left and fired in a shot that Hayes once more saved to turn behind for a corner.
With just a minute remaining of the additional five, a corner met the head of Maxi Mullins who had risen well in a crowded box, but he headed wide in what was the final chance for the Shots and the final whistle not long later condemned Aldershot to a second-successive away defeat.
Attendance: 6632 (196 Away)
Shots lineup: 28. Marcus Dewhurst, 6. Theo Widdrington, 7. Cameron Hargreaves, 8. Tyler Frost, 9. Kai Corbett (11. Ryan Jones, 65′), 10. Josh Barrett, 17. Aaron Jones (C) (24. Maxwell Mullins, 86′), 18. Olly Scott (4. Luke Jenkins, 90+4′), 22. Jack Barham, 33. Luca Woodhouse, 36. Will Armitage.
Subs not used: 1. Jordi van Stappershoef, 5. Christian Maghoma, 32. Emmanuel Maja.
Southend lineup: 1. Nick Hayes, 2. Gus Scott-Morriss, 3. Nathan Ralph (C), 7. Jack Bridge (20. Ben Goodliffe, 86′), 8. Noor Husin, 9. Macauley Bonne (24. Charley Kendall, 77′), 11. Josh Walker (21. Tom Hopper, 68′), 16. Harry Taylor, 18. James Golding, 19. Leon Parillon (28. Oli Coker, 68′), 23. James Morton.
Subs not used: 32. Anssi Jaakola, 4. George Wind, 22. Keenan Appiah-Forson.
