Andy Liddicott's Aldershot Town Ladies took on another one of their 'bogey' teams on Sunday, in the shape of Henley Town, who had lost their opening two fixtures and had a new manager in charge of the squad.
With Tracy Marlow on holiday, she was replaced by Jade Ferguson [pictured top], and club captain Emma North, having returned from two months in America at 6am, made the bench alongside Caz Shephard, Gemma Twine and new signing Nicky Holdyn.
Prior to the game, the players and officials observed a one-minute's silence in memory of John McGinty, and Aldershot Town players and staff wore black armbands in memory of the popular Chairman.
Both sides started off well and with a good surface to play on, both sides started to get the passing game going. Getting forwards, The Shots Ladies tried their luck when Holly Gayler and Laura Wallman watched their efforts go wide. A number of Shots corners caused a little concern for Henley, but they cleared the threat. At the other end Lesley Hubbard and Hannah Grover dealt with the long ball situations easily. Henley still had their chances, but Hubbard was on hand to deal with the threats.
On 16 minutes the deadlock was broken. From another corner Laura Funnell [pictured bottom] delivered a ball to the near post and Wallman had timed her run to perfection to head the ball past two defenders and the keeper to make it 1-0.
The Shots kept pressing, and nearly made it two when Ireland played a delightful one-two with Sian Houghton only to see her left foot shot rise over the bar. On the half-hour mark, a Henley player made her way into the referee Jim Stokes' notebook, when in front of Shots' assistant Matt Leary she recklessly went into the back of Funnell down by the goal line. Whilst the defender received treatment, a quick consultation between Stokes and Leary resulted in the attacker being shown a yellow card, with little complaint.
Just before half time, Henley tried their luck from just outside the box, the ball just clipped the outside of the post with Hubbard already covering her near post.
Half Time: Aldershot Town 1 Henley Town 0
In the second half, The Shots upped the tempo and started to peg back Henley in their own half. A number of corners were won by the home side, but Henley managed to clear the threat each time.
On 59 minutes Nicky Holdyn, making her debut for The Shots, came on for Holly Gayler - and soon had a say in the match. Three minutes later, the ball was won in the midfield, switched to Stacey Ireland on the right hand side who outpaced her marker and sent in a low whipped cross into the box. Wallman was unable to reach the ball at the front post but Holdyn, with only her first touch of the game nipped in front of the defender to send the ball into the roof of the net.
Nikki Moore, who was struggling with an injury sustained earlier in the game, was substituted for Caz Shephard.
The referee then had his yellow card out for a second time, when Houghton clumsily brought down a Henley attacker inside the centre circle - again no complaints from the offending player.
Henley thought they had found a way back into the match on 75 minutes, when following a corner, the ball pinged around in the area, only for it to be knocked slightly forward by a Henley attacker to a fellow team-mate to blast past Hubbard, only for the offside flag to be raised.
Henley, restricted to counter attacks, continued to pepper Hubbard's goal and nearly got one back when the ball was dragged back to the corner of the area. She fired a shot towards Hubbard's right hand corner of the goal, but Hubbard produced an excellent right-handed save low to her right to thwart the danger. Meanwhile, Shephard was starting to dominate the midfield, and with five minutes to go, Houghton gave way for the returning club captain Emma North. The Shots pressed for the third, and thought they'd had one in stoppage time when the ball was bundled across the line, but the referee judged the goalkeeper had been impeded and ruled the goal out.
Full Time: Aldershot Town 2 Henley Town 0
The Shots: Lesley Hubbard, Holly Gayler (Nicky Holdyn), Tara Coles (c), Sian Houghton (Emma North), Stacey Ireland, Laura Wallman, Jade Ferguson, Hannah Grover, Nikki Moore (Caz Shephard), Laura Funnell and Amber Marsh.
Subs: Gemma Twine.
Henley Town: No team news available.
Andy's Analysis:
"In the first half we looked a bit heavy-legged and were finding it hard to get the ball down. We settled down when we went one-nil up thanks to a great set piece.
"In the second half we seemed to get our second-wind and moved the ball well. Nicky Holdyn did really well when she came on and to score with her first touch was great for her.
"It's been a tough four days, but it's really pleasing to pick up the maximum six-points and to also have all the returning players that are going to compete for places.
"Henley did well today, they have just had a new manager take over and some new players come in. They like to pass the ball well and I think they could surprise a few teams this year."
Aldershot Town Ladies travel to MK Wanderers in two weeks time, on Sunday 13 September, kick off 2pm.
All supporters are invited to come along and cheer on The Shots, as they look for their third-straight win to continue a perfect start to their new campaign.
Their next home game is in four weeks time at the EBB Stadium in the FA Women's Cup First Qualifying Round. That match takes place on 27th September and is against the Leagues current leaders - Southampton Saints, again kick off is at 2pm and full details on the match will be announced shortly.
Sunday's Other Results
Launton Ladies 2 Southampton Saints 7 
Slough Ladies 3 Oxford United Ladies 0
Wycombe Wanderers Ladies 1 Maidenhead United Ladies 6
All photographs provided with thanks to David Child