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MATCH REPORT: Wealdstone FC 2 Aldershot Town 2 (A)

Aldershot Town made it four points from a possible six this week, with a 2-2 away draw against Wealdstone FC at Grosvenor Vale.

Goals from Ira Jackson and Josh Umerah were cancelled out by a brace from Aldershot Town’s Corie Andrews in the second-half as The Shots showed great maturity to react to falling behind twice during the game.

It was a strong early showing from The Shots, who looked to push The Stones back into their own half,  with Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain driving forward and firing goalwards, which forced Stones’ keeper George Wickens into a good save at his near post in just the fifth minute.

Wealdstone did however, look to hit Aldershot Town on the counter-attack and following several corners for both sides, Shots’ forward Corie Andrews had the next best chance to open the scoring with a sharp turn and shot inside the area forcing Wickens into another great save in the 14th minute.

This chance for Aldershot Town however, did see the home side respond with a number of efforts of their own, with midfielder Medy Elito firing from distance which forced Aldershot Town keeper Mitch Walker into a firm save at his near post this time.

The influential Elito was involved again shortly after, this time in the game’s opening goal as it was his weighted pass down the left released Dennon Lewis, who in turn, cut the ball back for Ira Jackson to tap home from close range in the 27th minute.

This goal proved a bit of a sucker punch for The Shots having been on top just before and would look to respond with midfielder Jayden Harris looking to create a goal on his own, after an impressive individual run down the right hand side almost created a first goal for the midfielder in Aldershot Town in the 43rd minute, but Wickens again was on hand to save the goal-bound effort.

It was Wealdstone who went into the half-time interval in front, but it wasn’t long before Aldershot Town were able to get themselves back on level terms with Andrews showing great composure to control captain Lewis Kinsella’s well-worked corner before finding the bottom left corner and giving The Shots a deserved equaliser in the 50th minute.

This goal saw the game begin to open up with plenty of opportunities to take the lead, but it would be the home side who would find themselves back in front with top scorer Josh Umerah scoring from a long throw into the box by Wealdstone’s Jack Cawley in the 62nd minute.

But it wasn’t long before Aldershot Town again got themselves back on level terms, with Andrews scoring his second of the game in the 69th minute.

A brilliant cross into the box by midfielder Toby Edser picked out the forward at the back post who, in similar fashion to his first of the afternoon, shifted the ball onto his left foot and drilled the ball into the far corner to give The Shots a second and deserved equaliser.

Following this, it was Aldershot Town who looked to push on and get the third goal of the game, with the likes of Kinsella, Harris and the recently-introduced Wassim Aouachria all having opportunities to give The Shots the lead in what was a much improved second-half.

There was still time in the game for a final chance in the game to come away with all three points for Aldershot Town, with defender Kodi Lyons-Foster connecting with a Kinsella free-kick down the left-hand side, but saw his header go agonisingly close and over the bar with seconds left to go.

This in turn, sees The Shots come away from this week’s fixtures with four points out of a possible six, with a home game against FC Halifax Town to look ahead to next Saturday.

Wealdstone FC XI: 1 G Wickens (G/K), 2 J Cook, 4 A Charles, 6 J Okimo (C), 9 J Umerah (Fasanmade 88′), 11 D Lewis, 12 A Eleftheriou, 16 I Jackson Jr, 20 M Elito (Buse 85′), 24 C Cooper, 34 J Cawley

Unused Subs: Marigliani, Wishart, Tavares

Aldershot Town XI: 1 M Walker (G/K), 2 G Fowler, 3 L Kinsella (C), 6 K Lyons-Foster, 7 A Whittingham (Aouachria 68′), 8 T Edser, 9 M Bettamer (Berkeley-Agyepong 82′), 11 C Andrews, 12 C Oxlade-Chamberlain, 22 G Phillips, 23 J Harris

Unused Subs:  Watts, Saunders, Willard