Aldershot and Wealdstone shared the points in a game which saw six goals and two red cards, as Jack Barham, Lorent Tolaj, and deep into added time Kwame Thomas scored for the Shots in a 3-3 draw at Grosvenor Vale.
Tommy Widdrington made two changes to the side which were 3-1 victors over Rochdale on Saturday, bringing in Theo Widdrington and Rollin Menayese for his second Shots debut. Coby Rowe and Stuart O’Keefe were rested for the Shots trip to Grosvenor Vale.
The game had a handful of early chances, the first of which fell to Wealdstone, as Charlie Barker flicked a corner onto Nathan Ferguson, but with less than 5 minutes gone Stones number 8 was unable to head home from close range. The Shots had a handful of their own, but neither Tyler Frost or Josh Stokes were unable to convert their chances.
Much like Stones substitute Tahvon Campbell did late last season for the Shots, Jack Barham scored the first goal of the game at Grosvenor Vale in front of the Shots fans. It was a great team move from the Shots as Tyler Frost found Lorent Tolaj on the edge of the Stones box, and he in turn played the ball to Josh Stokes, who played Jack Barham in one on one, and for the second time in two games Stokes provided Barham as he put the ball low and past Marcus Dewhurst to make it 1-0.
At the other end Jordi Van Stappershoef made a crucial save to deny Nathan Ferguson, but it would be the Shots who had the second goal of the game just a few moments later. Ryan Glover picked the ball up on the left hand side and drifted infield, eventually playing the ball to Lorent Tolaj, who took a beautiful first touch past his defender, and one on one with Marcus Dewhurst doubled the Shots lead with 24 on the clock.
Stones had looked threatening from balls over the top, and scored twice in a matter of minutes from balls over the top just after the half hour mark. The first came from Sean Adarkwa, as he got the ball from the Stones defence and took it down ahead of Cian Harries and converted beyond an outrushing Jordi Van Stappershoef. Moments later Nathan Ferguson levelled the game, as he got the ball in behind from over the top and made the game 2 each with 34 minutes on the clock.
Stokes troubled the Stones goal again before the break, as a shot from distance was parried behind by Marcus Dewhurst, and at the other end Van Stappershoef saved a good effort from Max Kretzschmar, but neither side could add a third to their tally before the referee drew a frantic first half to a close.
HALF TIME: Wealdstone 2-2 Shots
Wealdstone made quick work of taking the lead in the second half, as a ball over the top tempted Jordi Van Stappershoef out of his goal, but with the ball still out the box the ‘keeper had to control the ball rather than pick it up, and he was tackled just outside his box, with the ball then falling to Micah Obiero, who from range lobed the ball into an empty net to make it 3-2.
Jack Barham had a massive chance to level the game again just before the hour mark, as a loose clearance from Marcus Dewhurst was headed back goalwards from Ryan Glover, and Jack Barham used his strength to beat Jack Cook to the ball, and took the ball inside, but his shot was deflected wide from close range.
Makeshift wingback Tyler Frost denied what should have been the Stones 4th of the game, as Max Kretzschmar did well to get beyond Rollin Menayese and was one on one with Jordi Van Stappershoef, and just before he pulled the trigger Tyler Frost slid from out of nowhere to deny Max Kretzschmar even getting his shot off.
With the Shots on top and in search of an equaliser, Kwame Thomas was the first man on from the bench, as he came on for Dejan Tetek in what is becoming Tommy Widdrington’s trademark switch, an extra body up top as Stokes drops back deeper into midfield.
The Shots were given a lift with 79 minutes on the clock, as Aaron Henry tripped up Lorent Tolaj on the counter attack and got himself a second yellow card and made the last 10 minutes 11v10. And in search of the next goal, Josh Barrett came on in place of Rollin Menayese.
After so much pressure and looking like it would never fall Aldershot got themself back on terms in added time. The pressure had been mounting, and the ball worked a way to Ryan Glover on the left hand side, and he put a ball into the box, and at the back post Kwame Thomas got the highest and got the Shots level with minutes left on the clock.
With a minute to go of added time Wealdstone were reduced to 9, as Mason Barrett put an awful challenge in on Ryan Glover and was sent straight off.
There was too little time for Shots to take advantage of the extra two men they had on the field, so the points were shared between Aldershot and Wealdstone. The Shots now turn attention to this weekend’s trip to Halifax Town.
Shots XI
- Jordi Van Stappershoef, 3. Ollie Harfield, 4. Cian Harries, 6. Theo Widdrington, 8. Tyler Frost, 9. Lorent Tolaj (C), 10. Josh Stokes, 11. Ryan Glover, 22. Jack Barham, 25. Rollin Menayese (20. Josh Barrett, 83′), 34. Dejan Tetek (39. Kwame Thomas, 78′)
Unused subs
5. Coby Rowe, 7. Stuart O’Keefe, 24. Maxwell Mullins
Away attendance: 332
