Bull The Hero As Shots Fail To Perform

Another goalless game for the Shots had that end of season feel about it, while the opposition had the hungry look about them that confirmed they still had plenty to play for.

In a repeat of last week's poor effort at Halifax, the Shots seemed to treat the game like a stroll in the sun. A crowd that just broke the 3000 barrier for the first time in a long while was largely due to the presence of nearly a thousand Cambridge fans.

It seems that even the last home game of the season in a campaign that has been perceived by fans as anything ranging from a disaster to a disappointment could not tempt out the "occasionals" from the surrounding area.

Forced into a change by injury, caretaker manager Martin Kuhl replaced Ricky Newman with Ryan Scott in midfield and was still without loanee Anthony Charles following his knock received at Halifax. David Winfield continued to deputise alongside Rhys Day in central defence.

Apart from that, the usual line up started the game with Barnard and Smith at full back, Williams, Moseley and Soares completing a midfield four with Grant and Dixon up front. The unlucky Kirk Hudson started the game on the bench again, despite having been the brightest spark in the goalless draw at Kidderminster on Tuesday for the short while he was on the pitch.

Before the game two awards were presented to the Supporters' Club Player of the Season (John Grant) and the Players' Player of the Season (Ricky Newman).

From reports Ryan Williams had run each of the recipients close in both categories. I can only assume you weren't allowed to vote for Nikki Bull.

As it happened, Nikki was to receive an award after the game - Man of the Match from the sponsors HPL Sea Freight. It was an indication of Bull's performance that the decision was, for once, not questioned by anybody in the ground at all.

Even before the game had started those of us on the East Bank foresaw a defeat - we must have lost the toss because Aldershot were kicking towards the East Bank in the first half. It must have some bearing on the performance because we rarely do well when that is the case. So it proved as, apart from the very occasional foray most of the action was at the High Street end. It soon became apparent what sort of game it was going to be as the Shots were totally devoid of any ideas going forward and spent the majority of the first half defending for all they were worth. Given the legendary frailty of our defence we did well to go in at the break at 0 - 0, although Nikki Bull was almost solely responsible for that, pulling off a string of world class saves.

It is no secret that scouts from at least two league teams were in the North Stand today to have a look at Nikki and his display must have impressed them greatly.

With all the recent upheaval and uncertainty surrounding the club it can only be a matter of when Nikki leaves the club, rather than if.

Interviewed on Southern Counties Radio after the game Nikki said he was aware of interest but he would not be signing any deals unless the deal was right for Aldershot Town as well as Nikki Bull - this as a mark of gratitude to the club for him being where he is today.

The extra "goodbye" that Terry Brown gave Bull after that Weymouth game which saw his departure was a sure sign of the bond between them, and Brown's departure was surely the deciding factor in the future of our goalkeeper.

Bull's heroics continued in the second half but even he was unable to keep out Robbie Simpson's close range effort on 78 minutes. Once again a raid from Cambridge had got round the back of our defence and a decent cross made it harder to miss for Simpson - and he doesn't do that.

The Shots had had a couple of chances during the game but it would have been a travesty if Cambridge hadn't taken all three points from the game. Although not one of the better sides to have visited the Recreation Ground this season, they deserved the points for effort and commitment against a Shots side who were - almost to a man - well below par on both counts, as well as quality.

The final act in another non-descript Conference campaign will be our trip to Altrincham next Saturday. Against a side fighting for their existence in the Conference National the Shots will have to up their game by a large measure to have a chance of bringing anything back from another of those deadly Northern trips they seem to hate so much.

It would be nice to think the team could put on a decent show for the fans who will be making the effort to travel all the way up there. There is no shame in losing - as long as you can come away saying you gave of your best - and that has not been the case often enough this season unfortunately.