A 75th minute John Halls strike, his first in a Aldershot shirt, earned his side another precious point in their battle for League Two survival. However, had Shots taken full advantage of their first half domination, it could and would have been all three!
When these two sides met back in September last year there was very little to choose between them, in performance, in position or in points. This time around, things were much, much different. Wycombe sat comfortably in 2nd place with Shots down in a lowly 17th place, some 18 points behind their rivals, managed by Messr's Waddock and Kuhl.
With Alex Rodman still out injured nursing a calf problem, Shots manager Dean Holdsworth named an unchanged line-up from the midweek draw at home to Gillingham. Rather surprisingly, Waddock elected to leave the evergreen Gareth Ainsworth and hotshot John Paul Pittman on the bench.
Peter Vincenti had the first effort of the game, but skewed a 20 yard snapshot well wide. Soon after Luke Guttridge shot from similar range, the result higher and wider. And again, inside the first ten minutes, Shots had a third effort, the closest of all...a header from Darren Jones, which beat Nikki Bull, but was cleared off the line. Charles shot over too, before finally, after 15 minutes, The Chairboys had their first effort on goal, Foster firing over the bar and almost over the away stand!
Shots dominated the first half an hour and finally, after 26 minutes, had something to show for it. Vincenti was fouled 25 yards out. Luke Gutteridge stepped up and curled it beautifully into the top left hand corner. Nikki Bull was rooted to the spot!
McGlashan was a real handful down the right hand side, giving Foster and Johnson a torrid time. Johnson finally found his way into the referees notebook on 30 minutes. Shots totally dominated the first half, yet, as has happened so often this season, they conceded to Wycombe's first real effort on the goal in the 43rd minute. A cross from the right was headed goalwards, Young parried brilliantly but only into the path of Foster who headed home from a yard. The home side had been totally outplayed for throughout the first half, yet somehow went in level and Shots players and fans alike were left cursing the once loved quality, all so often exuded by their old manager Waddock...luck!
Within two minutes of the start of the second half Wycombe led. Betsy was sent free on the right side, bore down on goal and struck crisply home from 12 yards. Moments later he found himself in the same situation again, but under pressure he only half hit his shot, Young parried it up in the air and Jones cleared.
Shots responded with a fine run from McGlashan. Eventually he was stopped inside the area. Shots fans cried out for a penalty, the ref waved play on. Jones picked up a booking, whilst trying in vain to rectify a Herd mistake. Beavon shot wide for the home side and they were well on top by now.
With an hour gone, Anthony Straker, who wore the blue of Wycombe just a week earlier, came on to replace Morris, struggling to cope with Betsy in the unfamiliar left back position. Luke Medley came on for Sills, who'd had a quiet game. Hylton shot across goal. Strevens shot over for Wycombe.
Much to Waddock's satisfaction, the game looked as if it was beginning to fizzle out. But it wasn't. In the 75th minutes, a Hylton cross was only half cleared and John Halls was on hand to ram home from 18 yards! 2-2. Shots were back in it and McGlshan broke through, only for his shot to be deflected for a corner, from which Anthony Charles shot straight into Nikki Bulls midriff.
Wycombe came again. From a corner, Leon Johnson's looping header hit the post and Beavon headed the rebound into Youngs grateful arms. Scott Donnelly came on, but blazed a first time volley high over the Aldershot goal. The two teams kept going for the win as you'd expect, but neither could force a winner and ultimately, just as they were at the EBB, the points were shared.
Shots: Young 7 Herd 6 Jones 6 Charles 7 Morris 5 (Straker) McGlashan 8 Halls 7 Guttridge 7 Hylton 6 (Jarrett) Vincenti 6 Sills 5 (Medley). Attendance: 4421