The Shots reward for the 2-1 defeat of Maidenhead at the Rec is a home tie against old rivals Canvey Island. In the end the Shots depleted side, without Giles and McLean from last weeks starting XI made hard work of finishing off a gritty Maidenhead side who in O’Connor had a live wire in their forward line.
Shots starting formation was 5-3-2 with Crittenden, who deservedly was voted man of the match, playing along side Sills up front. The first effort on goal came in the eighth minute. Crittenden slipped in Challinor, whose cut back from the by-line found Miller but his shot went well over. Then at the other end Harris (?) found himself with time and space in the area, but his shot was weak and Bully easily made the save.
The Shots took the lead on 12 minutes after Millers slide rule pass found Crittenden, who from an acute angle drilled the ball into the far corner of the net. Two minutes later the Shots thought they had made it 2-0. Sills clinically finished from a Miller through ball but the linesman’s raised flag cut short the celebration.
Shots were now playing some neat football, especially down the right and after another well worked move, Challinor’s effort was pushed around the post by Goldman. However it wasn’t all one way traffic and Antwi had to put his body on the line to bravely block a goal bound effort from the impressive O’Connor. Then Bully was called into action when he spectacularly turned over a dipping effort from outside the box.
Shots came close to increasing their lead on 40 minutes when Darren Barnard’s effort was cleared off the line and from the rebound Miller blasted well over. Just before the break Sills should have doubled the lead. Warner’s pass found him in space only 10 yards out but he shot tamely straight at the keeper.
McAuley replaced the injured Challinor at half time because of a knock he sustained from a late challenge in the first half. It didn’t take long for the substitute to make an impact. After Crittenden had won a corner on 48 minutes, McAuley floated over a perfect cross for Sills to power home a bullet header from 8 yards out.
The Shots were now in total control and should have gone on to finish the match as a contest. After 50 minutes a brilliant solo run from Crittenden ended when his well hit shot thudded against the base of the post. A minute later Miller curled a shot just wide of the far post. On the hour mark a Miller cross was sliced by a defender in an attempted clearance but the keeper just managed to catch the ball underneath the bar – despite Shots appeals the linesman judged that the ball hadn’t crossed the line (although it looked from the East Bank as if the ball had been pushed up into the net behind the cross bar.)
Miller then set up Warner, but the right wing back shot well over. The same combination were in business shortly after – a miss kick from Goldman in the Maidenhead goal went straight to Miller who found Warner, but he fired his cross shot wide of the far post when 2 red shirts were unmarked in front of the goal. The Shots hadn’t killed off the game and Maidenhead set up a nail-biting finish when they got back in the game in the 70th minute. The ball was chested down to Cook and his well hit shot from just outside the box beat the diving Bully and hit the back of the net.
Despite having plenty of possession and winning a handful of corners, the visitors didn’t really have any clear-cut chances to equalise and the Shots came close to increasing the lead when Miller shot into the side netting from a Crittenden cross. In the 89th minute Crittenden almost squeezed the ball under the onrushing Goldman, but the keeper just managed to keep it out.
After the game Maidenhead website www.maidenheadunitedfc.co.uk reported that club Chairman Jon Swan had said, "I told the lads before the game, if they gave 100 per cent I couldn't ask any more of them. And that's what they did. They did very well. I'm proud of them.
"They (Aldershot) were no better than us. We could have got something from the game, but we missed chances.
"In the end, just one player (Crittenden) made the difference and he deservedly got man of the match."
Report: Tongham Shots
Attendance: 2286.
SHOTS: Bull, Warner, Antwi, Johnson, Tobi, Barnard, Challinor (McAuley 45), Watson (Smith 80), Miller, Crittenden, Sills.
Subs Not Used: Lauder-Dyke, Field
Maidenhead United: Team line up is unavailable at time of print.
Match Verdict.
A workman-like display from a depleted squad.
6/10 – happy enough.
Shots Mad Man of the Match.
Nick Crittenden.
Shots Mad Panda Pops Award.