Aldershot Town 2 - 1 Woking

Last updated : 02 January 2008 By Stray Shots Team
The Shots were made to work hard by Woking for the three points at the Rec this afternoon.

At half time the home side looked comfortable, with a 2 - 0 lead, but they gave the visitors a lifeline when needlessly conceding a penalty just after the interval.

Shots leading scorer, John Grant, made a welcome return to the starting line up, replacing Rob Elvins.

Gary Waddock made two other changes from Saturday's team at Grays. He brought in Ricky Newman for Chalmers, who dropped to the bench, and Kirk Hudson replaced the suspended Davies.

The game started brightly with both sides looking to get on the offensive.
In the 13th minute a fierce strike from Sole was, fortunately for the Shots, directed straight at Bull.

Jonny Dixon then went on a silky run right across the Woking box, but he was finally dispossessed by Gindre as he attempted to go around him.

A good ball from Harding then found Joel Grant in the left channel. The Shots winger, who showed some sublime touches throughout the afternoon mesmerising his full back on many occasions, flashed his shot across goal but just wide of the far post.

The Shots took the lead in the 20th minute.

A defence splitting pass from Dixon found Hudson in the clear, and the in-form winger finished with aplomb.

The Shots were now well on top and some neat build up play from Joel Grant set up Dixon. The former Wycombe striker took the ball on before unleashing a superb shot from 22 yards, which Gindre did well to push round his post.

The Shots doubled their advantage in the 27th minute with Anthony Straker instrumental in the build up. The full back went flying down the left flank, before putting over a precise cross that was met by Newman's flicked header, which flew past Gindre.

At the other end an excellent clearing header from Charles denied the visitors a scoring opportunity.

In the 41st minute Winfield replaced the injured Rhys Day.

Half Time: Shots 2 - Woking 0

Woking started the second half on the front foot, and a shot at goal was deflected wide off Charles.

From the resulting corner, a Shots player needlessly pushed over an opponent in the box, and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Although Sole's well struck effort arrowed into Nikki Bull's bottom right hand corner, the Shots keeper almost got a hand to it.

A neat move involving Straker and John Grant saw the latter lay it into the path of Hudson, whose weak effort failed to trouble the keeper.

In the 56th minute, after a good run, Kirk Hudson found John Grant. The Shots forward, who had a reasonably quiet game on his reappearance, in turn found Dixon who saw his well struck effort from 15 yards, go just wide.

Just before the hour mark a Newman through ball was just too strong for the chasing Dixon.

Then a nicely worked move down the Shots left saw Straker in the clear. The full back, who deserved his man of the match award, fizzed his effort inches wide of the far post.

In the 63rd minute, Lewis Chalmers replaced Harding.

The Shots were beginning to drop deeper and deeper, inviting the visitors on to them, and Woking were getting on top.

A free kick just outside the box on the angle, was very well struck by substitute Lambu, but Bull was on his mettle to turn it over the bar.

In the 84th minute Hylton replaced Dixon.

The Shots faithful were now anxiously checking their watches, wanting the final whistle, and Rob Gier had to make a superb last ditch tackle to deny the visitors.

The Shots held out however, and Lewis Chalmers 40 yard effort, from a poor Gindre clearance, went inches wide of an unguarded net in the final seconds of stoppage time.

TS Ratings:
Bull 7, Gier 7, Straker 7.5, Newman 7, Day 6 (Winfield 6.5), Charles 7, Hudson 7, Harding 6 (Chalmers 6), John Grant 6, Dixon 7 (Hylton), Joel Grant 7.

Report with thanks to Tongham Shots.