Ryan Leads The Way

Last updated : 09 September 2005 By Stray Shots Team
Holloway - Make The Bench?
The Aldershot News has reported that wing wizard Ryan Williams became the new darling of the Recreation Ground after guiding Aldershot Town to their first Conference win of the season.

The 27-year-old loanee from League Two side Bristol Rovers, brought a huge sigh of relief to the struggling Shots by producing a man-of-the-match performance in front of the Sky Sports cameras, leaving the fans and boss Terry Brown purring.

The dynamic debutant made an immediate impact with fans by firing home a glorious free-kick and creating another for two-goal striker Tim Sills — putting a seal on a thrilling and fascinating encounter.

In between, determined to shine under the public glare, Williams simply ripped apart a shell-shocked Crawley with a performance of pace and energy which gave the fans hope that this barren start to the season could well be over.

Boss Brown would have had every sympathy for his Crawley counterpart Francis Vines on Monday having suffered the wrath of Williams in the past.

The wide man first impressed Brown when turning out for Forest Green Rovers last December, when he starred in a 2-1 win at the Rec.

Brown commented: "He's an obvious comparison with Ian Hathaway, for those who saw him play. Ryan is a quality player, he can play behind the front two or on either wing and was definitely the difference between the two sides today.

"It took about ten minutes for the fans to take to him and it also helps when you bend a free-kick into the top corner after half an hour.

"I was very pleased with him but I'm not getting carried away because he's only on loan to us for a month. We know from the past that we've resurrected the careers of Jonny Dixon and Jake Robinson and no doubt they'll be others looking at Ryan."

Whatever happens thereafter though, Williams is looking the little gem that could just lift the spirits around the Rec and spark a revival to put much-needed smiles on faces.

Yes, this may not have been the perfect home performance, but it was a win nevertheless, and given that before the start of Monday's kick-off, the boss would have bitten your arm off!

In Williams, Brown now has someone to work in tandem with Nick Crittenden in offering width and putting the frighteners on opposing defenders.

And with Sills on the road to recovery, scoring goals, things suddenly look a lot brighter.

Brown, with three new arrivals at his disposal, wasted no time in ringing in the changes — Williams the shirt on the left flank in place of a half-fit Ahmed Deen, while Greg Heald slotted in at the back in place of transfer-listed Tobi Jinadu, who couldn't even find a place on the bench.

The third new man, Matt Gearing, could only find himself on the bench with Sills passed fit to play.

But despite the renewed optimism, Brown must have felt it was to be one of those days when Crawley's very own diamond, their £60,000 signing Daryl Clare, marked his debut with a goal inside just seven minutes.

Slack marking from Heald and Lewis Hamilton allowed Simon Wormull to head Sasha Opinel's centre back across goal and Clare — the former Boston and Chester goal-getter — did the rest with a cool shot on the turn past Shots keeper Nikki Bull.

But Williams, at this stage, was just starting to motor and after showing early touches of skill and blistering pace, finally brought the home crowd to its feet on 29 minutes.

The dangerous Sills was felled by James Donovan on the left hand corner of the penalty box and after consultation with Nick Crittenden, Williams brilliantly curled the resulting free-kick round the wall and into the top corner of the net.

Inspired by the new man, the Shots were now in control and it was no surprise to see them take the lead just before the break with the goal of the game.

Hamilton started it with a floating ball over the defence straight to the feet of Chris McPhee down the left channel, he floated over an inch-perfect cross to the near post which Sills converted with a bullet header past keeper Phil Smith.

With Crawley pressing after the break, it soon became clear a third goal was needed.

McPhee headed just wide and Crittenden narrowly over, although it was Wormull who came closest to adding to the scoreline with a free-kick which struck the base of the near post.

But that third goal wasn't long in coming and when it did, it was Williams and Sills who carved the Devils open again.

Williams' through ball was inch-perfect for the on-rushing Sills, who jockeyed round Smith only for Donovan to dive in and upend him.

Referee Desmond had no option but to point to the spot and send the ex-Farnborough defender off for a second bookable offence —Sills then making Crawley pay further by burying the spot kick into the corner beyond the despairing keeper.

That could, and should, have been game over but still the Shots didn't finish them off.

Indeed, Wormull set up a tense final seven minutes with a 20-yard volley which took a wicked deflection off Scott Guyett and trickled beyond the out-stretched Bull.

But they held on to the roar of both the fans and home dug-out, leaving the manager mightily relieved.

He added: "Relief is all you feel when you manage to get a result on the board. It was important for our home fans more than anything.

"There was loads of pleasing things but there is still loads to work on — giving them a second goal and setting up a nervous last five minutes was something we didn't need.

"I'm not getting carried away by this it's still a slightly ill-balanced side, but I thought we earned our bit of luck today by the way we approached the game and I think it was just about the right result."

Brown now takes his troops on the long, arduous journey to Morecambe on Saturday - ko 3pm, looking to add to this success and continue the rise out of the lower reaches.

The Shots have never had the best of fortunes at Christie Park in the past, and once again Jim Harvey's men look strong on their home patch this term, with two wins and a draw coming from their opening three matches, and no goals conceded.

As the News went to press, Brown was in talks with Yeovil and Brighton about the possibility of extending the loans of Scott Guyett and Chris McPhee respectively.

If he fails to negotiate deals then this will be the last game for each of them.

The good news, however, is that Gary Holloway could make the substitutes bench after his lengthy recovery from a knee operation.

With thanks to the Aldershot News.