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REACTION: Ross McNeilly Post-Weston-Super-Mare

Aldershot Town Academy Manager Ross McNeilly thought that his team “showed great character” against Weston-Super-Mare after his u19 side drew 4-4 away last Wednesday in the National League Youth Alliance.

The game didn’t start the best for Aldershot Town in the first-half as Weston-Super-Mare flew into the lead.

The Shots couldn’t get into the game and they found themselves having to come back from a 3-0 lead.

Aldershot Town’s Simba Kudiywa got a goal back for the visitors but Weston-Super-Mare replied with a fourth shortly after. The Shots had a lot of work to do after half-time.

After the interval, McNeilly’s half-time team talk urged the Aldershot Town players to play out of their skin in the last 45 minutes of the game.

Ben Mandeville got the second for The Shots with Jamie White continuing his goalscoring run with his second goal in as many games.

The scoreline was 4-3 and Aldershot Town were on top. The pressure paid dividends when Mandeville added his second of the game to send the team bench into raptures.

The Shots were so close to winning the eight-goal thriller too with a late chance in what is arguably a game of the season contender.

Following the game, Academy Manager Ross McNeilly gave his thoughts on the u19’s performance:

“This is definitely one of the maddest game that I’ve ever seen.

“In the last 25 mins, we could’ve scored three as we hit the bar twice.

“Our performance in the second half was outstanding and I thought we should’ve won.”

McNeilly also commented on the spirit and fight that his side showed to come back into the game:

“We showed great character. They showed all of the steel to fight back.

“I was a little disappointed we couldn’t have won the game at the end but the resilience shown to get a point will stick with me for a long time.”

The result means that the u19s are third in the National League Youth Alliance but the title could still be on the cards if Aldershot can maintain a perfect record from now until the end of the season.

McNeilly commented on what he thinks of Aldershot Town’s chances of getting the title.

“This result makes it a little more difficult to win the league,” he said.

“But you have to look at our early season form and think of how far we’ve come.

“I think we have to win all of our remaining six games to stand a chance of lifting that trophy.”