ALDERSHOT TOWN'S new kit made its debut at the Borough Sports Ground on Saturday afternoon, and although a strong first-half Shots performance saw them earn a comfortable lead, it counted for nothing when their hosts hit them for three second half goals reports The Aldershot Writer.
Pre-match handshakes gave way to an impressive half for Andy Scott’s men, and with just minutes on the clock Brett Williams burst along the left flank before delivering a great ball into the host’s penalty area, however there were no red shirts in the box to make it count.
Sixty-seconds later and Adam Mekki was brought down by Ali Fuseini and referee Ellams was quick to award the free kick, however the resulting ball came to nothing.
With ten-minutes gone, Jordan Roberts swung a difficult ball into the area and Williams was on-hand to test the reflexes of Tom Loverlock who could only turn the ball around the post for a corner to The Shots.
GOAL! From the resulting corner, Joe Oastler managed to get his head onto the ball and guid it into the back of the home sides net from six-yards out.
Brett Williams and then Aaron Wickham almost doubled the visitors lead shortly afterwards, but each saw their efforts go wide of the target.
GOAL! Mekki managed to get the better of Anthony Riviere and fired home a brilliant solo effort to give the visitors a two-goal lead with only 13-minutes played.
On 16-minutes, Marvin Williams made way for Harry Beautyman for the home side and he immediately released Riviere who unleashed a shot on target, but fortunately the effort flew straight at Shots’ keeper Glenn Morris, who kept the visitors lead intact.
The Shots appealed for a penalty shortly afterwards when Simon Downer brought down Mekki, but Ellams waved away the resulting protests and the clock ticked down to the interval.
Half Time: Sutton United 0 Aldershot Town 2
Aldershot began the second-half with a comfortable 2-0 lead, however it was the home side who showed they had listened most to their team talk when Craig Dundas cut inside of the Aldershot defence with ease but fortunately, Morris saw the resulting effort fly over the crossbar.
GOAL! With 49-minutes on the clock, former Shot Jamie Taylor tried to reduce the deficit and although Morris did well, he could only parry Taylor’s effort and the ball fell into the path of Dundas who calmly steered the ball into the net for the U’s.
With the home side on the ascendancy, James Folkes was brought on for Jamie Stuart while Riviere was replaced with Dean Sinclair and the equaliser was soon to follow.
GOAL! Shots Nick Grosvenor brought down Beautyman inside the penalty area and this time Ellams wasted no time in pointing to the spot. Sinclair stepped up and sent Morris the wrong way making it all square.
Sensing the need for change, Scott made a double substitution of Wickham and Joe Antinsah for Meeshack Douglas and Kieron Cadogan however there was little punch brought to the fight and it was the home side who took the lead for the first time in the game.
GOAL! With just 23-minutes remaining on the clock it was Taylor who was to heap the misery on Andy Scott’s men when he produced an unstoppable strike which sailed into the back of the visitors net.
Although Mekki made way for Harry Cooksley, there was little threat brough to the table in the second half and when Jon Challinor managed to head wide from six-yards out, the truth was that the game was all but lost already.
With less than sixty-seconds remaining, Bobby Webbe came on for Craig Stanley but the match was as good as finished and Ellams called time on another Shots defeat.
Full Time: Sutton United 3 Aldershot Town 2
Sutton United: 1 Tom Loverlock, 2 Mitchell Nelson, 3 Sam Rents, 4 Jamie Stuart, 5 Simon Downer, 6 Ali Fuseni, 7 Anthony Riviere, 8 Marvin Williams, 9 Craig Dundas, 10 Jamie Taylor, 11 Dale Binns
Aldershot Town: 1 Glenn Morris (GK), 2 Jon Challinor, 14 Jordan Roberts (Tonkin +), 4 Craig Stanley, 5 Jake Goodman, 6 Nick Grosvenor, 7 Adam Mekki, 8 Joe Oastler, 9 Brett Williams, 10 Joe Antinsah, 11 Aaron Wickham
Subs: 12 Meeshack Douglas, 15 Harry Cooksley, 16 Bobby Webbe, 17 Matt Rudolph, 18 Kieron Cadogan, 19
Attendance: 388
With thanks to The Aldershot Writer.
Picture (c) The Aldershot Writer.
Read the official Aldershot Town match report here.
Read the official Sutton United match report here.