Southampton have not had the best of starts to their league campaign. Having only just dodged relegation last season, Southampton were rooted to the bottom of the table, having lost all four games in the league so far. Aldershot meanwhile, having not played a league match for over a month, had dropped from fourth to eighth.
Andy Liddicott made two changes to the side that lost to Southampton Saints the week before in the Hampshire Cup, in a bid to allow for players to get some first-team action. Regular shot-stopper Hayley Calder was replaced by Lesley Hubbard (the goalkeeping coach making her debut for the club), and striker Laura Wallman swapped for Tracey Marlow.
Southampton started the better, and forced the Shots back in the opening five minutes, but were unable to make the pressure count. The Shots came into the game more and more and the midfield started to work the ball through to the strikers who came close on a number of occasions.
After 8 minutes the Shots went one nil up. Following a long throw from Marsh, the Southampton defender could only head the ball backwards toward her own goal. Skipper Emma North read the situation and managed to get between two Southampton players to head towards goal, the keeper could only parry her shot wide, but Hann was on hand to turn the ball back into the 6 yard box for North under a heavy challenge to put the ball into the roof of the net.
The game was still open and Southampton still came forward, looking for the long ball option, which the Shots keeper and defence dealt with. A second goal nearly came as Marlow broke down the left, crossed the ball in for Moore, only for her to somehow put her shot past the post.
As the first half entered stoppage time, Southampton suffered a serious blow when one of their players was seriously injured following a challenge for the ball. After a lengthy delay, she was carried off the pitch and taken to Frimley Park Hospital by Southampton staff as a precaution.
Half Time: Aldershot Town 1 Southampton 0
In the second half Southampton again tested the Shots and never gave up, and with this the game was becoming more open and a lot of space was there to exploit. Wallman replaced Moore and the Shots started to pour forward in search of a second. A couple of harsh offside decisions from the Southampton assistant coupled with a number of near misses started to frustrate the Shots. Potter had a great chance to increase the score when she out-sprinted her maker but was denied by the keeper.
But on 86 minutes the Shots broke Southampton's stubborn defence. A long ball from Hubbard in goal put the Southampton defence under great pressure, the defender once again could only divert her header back towards her own goal under pressure from Marlow, which Wallman had gambled on and out paced the defence to lob the advancing keeper from 20 yards.
With less than two minutes to go, the Shots guaranteed the three points with a third goal. Smith won a challenge out on the left, which found North free in the midfield. The skipper played the ball through the Southampton defence, Marlow had held her run perfectly and out-paced her marker to fire past the keeper, to give the ex-Bracknell player her first goal for the club.
Final Score: Aldershot Town 3 Southampton 0
The victory for Aldershot now moves them back up to fifth place, whilst Southampton remain stuck at the bottom with a quarter of the season played.
Player of the match: Tracey Marlow
Andy's Analysis
"We knew Southampton would make it hard and the way they played I am surprised they haven't picked up any points this season. It was one of those games where you have to be patient; we changed a few players around this week and the girls who came in did well. There is good competition for places within the squad now, and it is nice to have three points and a very good performance."
Next fixture: BTC Riverside v Shots - 2 November 2pm.
League Cup News:
Aldershot Town have been drawn at home in the Southern Region Football League Cup 1st Round against Slough. There will be an early kick off will be at 1pm.