Aldershot Town and Bradford City have met ten times before, with The Shots winning half of those matches. Which is your favourite from our choice of five of the best…?
The Shots 3 Bantams 2 – 30 August 2008 (att 3805)
A first home victory in the Football League for The Shots in 17 years, and what a way to achieve it! Scott Davies’ 86th minute, 25-yard drive earned all three points from a thrilling game and ruined The Bantams’ 100% start to the season.
Bradford took a 10th minute lead, with Paul McLaren’s long-range strike, but The Shots roared back in the second-half. Ben Harding soon equalised with his own 20-yarder and, when Nikki Bull saved Peter Thorne’s penalty, the hosts took full advantage as Marvin Morgan converted Louie Soares’ cross. Lee Bullock equalised himself just minutes later but substitute Davies won the game in a fitting and typically flamboyant manner.
The Shots 1 Bantams 0 – 2 March 2010 (att 2311)
Skipper Anthony Charles won a keenly-contested match with a fine poacher’s finish in the second-half to inflict on Peter Taylor a second defeat as City manager. Bradford defended strongly as The Shots dominated possession, but were only able to fashion a breakthrough on 54 minutes, as Scott Donnelly set Charles up for a confident 12-yard strike.
Even though Aldershot Town continued to play vibrant attacking football, Bradford rallied in the closing stages, and should have snatched a late equaliser. However, Lee Bullock shot over from inside the six-yard box in injury time, and the game was up.
Shots 1 Bantams 0 – 18 January 2011 (att 2160)
In the end, it was all just a little bit of history repeating itself, as Anthony Charles again gave The Shots a 1-0 home win in Dean Holdsworth’s first game in charge.
Bradford had initially threatened a different story, but Danny Hylton fed Charles inside the box to turn and drill a low 23rd minute shot in off the post. The Shots enjoyed a first-half full of pace and enterprise and ultimately it was a relatively comfortable victory. City switched to 4-3-3 to attempt to drag themselves back into the game but Aldershot Town merely bolstered their midfield and closed out victory.
Bantams 1 Shots 2 – 6 August 2011 (att 10205)
A superb away-day to start the League Two season and The Shots’ first victory at the Coral Windows Stadium in over 32 years. Danny Hylton tapped-in Alex Rodman’s low cross to steal an 18th minute lead which was doubled 20 minutes later, as Robbie Threlfall diverted another Rodman cross into his own net.
City were resurgent after the break, but still lacked a cutting edge as Vincenti and McGlashan threatened to snatch a third goal. James Hanson headed in Bullock’s cross in the third minute of stoppage time but there was no way back for the Bantams.
Shots 1 Bantams 0 – 17 March 2012 (att 2763)
Namibian striker Wilko Risser scored his first goal for the club as The Shots ground out a narrow win. Bantams’ debutant Chris Dagnall had initially threatened to be the star of the show but found goalkeeper Jamie Young in fine form and, after Bradford dominated the first-half, Aldershot Town steadily grew into the game.
The second period belonged to the home side and substitute Rob Sinclair created the winner, on 70 minutes, as his cross invited Risser to head past McLoughlin in front of the East Bank. Still Phil Parkinson’s side pushed for an equaliser, into injury-time, but The Shots put their bodies on the line to seal the win.
