The Shots started well and were soon on top with their passing game. Penny Hull (back from a yearlong injury) and Hannah Grover started to command the midfield area with some slick passing. Chrissie Everington, making her debut in defence, was substituted only 7 minutes, due to a slight thigh strain. Her replacement at left-back, Danni Shepherd, took five minutes to open the scoring. The ball was played out to the right, Carys Potter (another debutant) cut inside, passed to Hull who thread the ball out to Shepherd in space on the left and let an unstoppable shot from 18 yards fly in the back of the net to take a 1-0 lead.
This gave the Shots even more confidence and a number of passing moves opened up the Hayward Heath defence. Funnell and Potter were using the space well, and delivered a number of crosses in that came inches wide of the target.
Hayward Heath didn't let the Shots have it all their own way, and nearly caught the Shots out on 27mins, when the Shots didn't clear their lines. The ball fell to a Hayward Heath player who fired a shot from 20 yards which hit the top of the crossbar. This was the Shots' wake up call, and again the midfield duo of Hull and Grover broke up the play. The ball fell to Coles (captaining the side in the absence of Emma North), the Hayward Heath players stood off her and allowed her to carry the ball and feed last season's top goal scorer Laura Wallman to poke the ball home to double the visitors lead.
Half Time: Haywards Heath 0 Aldershot Town 2
In the second half, Hayward Heath pressed and caused a number of corners, which the Shots managed to clear. On 53 minutes however, the Shots defence had a communication break down, which allowed the Hayward Heath striker to place the ball past Calder into the Shots goal.
The Shot still pressed, but both sides seem to be suffering from lack of fitness. However as the match went on the Shots where able to capitalise on the space. The ball was moved from the right side into the centre and out to Carys Potter on the left side of the penalty area. She touch the ball passed the defender and fired into the corner of the net from an acute angle, to restore the Shots' advantage.
As the game came to a close, Nikki Moore found Wallman in the box, and she attempted to get her shot away a defender wrestled her to the ground, and the referee quickly pointed to the spot. Just as Wallman was about to take the penalty, Shots keeper Hayley Calder ran from her area, stepped forward to take the penalty and cannoned the ball into the top-left corner to score her first-ever goal, to the delight of everyone on the team.
Full Time: Haywards Heath 1 Aldershot Town 4
"We achieved what we needed to do and that was get the girls 90 minutes of football under their belts. It was also nice to see Penny Hull return from a yearlong injury and Laura Funnell in full flight again after her injury nightmare last season. Carys Potter had a really good debut and capped that with a fine goal. Hayward Heath were very strong and physical side and I thought the younger players dealt with this very well. A very pleasing exercise all-round."
Andy Liddicott
Aldershot Town's next friendly is away at Godalming on Sunday 10 August, kick off at 12pm.
For more information, go to the official web site at www.aldershotladies.co.uk