IF Aldershot do win promotion to the Football League, Woking will miss the gate receipts from playing their near neighbours, but they will probably still be very glad to see the back of the Shots.

Four times they have played the Shots this season — and four times they have lost. Well, Jose Mourinho would argue that it’s three defeats and a draw, as this game was settled 4-3 on penalties, after a 2-2 draw.

But it matters little: Aldershot are in the Setanta Shield final, Woking are not. And that’s on the back of a 4-2 win for the Shots in the FA Trophy and a Blue Square Premier double over the Cards over the festive period.

Granted, the Setanta Shield is nothing like as prestigious as the FA Trophy, and playing a final at Burton Albion’s Pirelli Stadium (where the Setanta final, against either Halifax Town or Rushden & Diamonds, will possibly be played) will not exactly equate to Wembley Stadium.

But at least this was an entertaining manner in which to bounce back from Saturday’s Trophy heartache against Ebbsfleet United.

Both sides enjoyed a glut of opportunities in a match that was more open than even the High Street End of the Recreation Ground. Defensive purists would have been horrified by what they saw but the crowd of 1,619 were royally entertained, especially by the wing play of Aldershot’s Joel Grant and Woking’s Matt Pattison, a wonderful long-range goal from Anthony Straker’s right foot — yes, right foot — and a penalty shoot-out that was both sublime and ridiculous.

“We can’t play any other way,” said Waddock afterwards. “We are open and exciting, with bags of pace, create chances and concede goals. That’s the way we are and we won’t change.”

The league is obviously the priority and that was reflected in Waddock’s team selection. Only four — and it may be fewer than that — of the players who started on Tuesday will probably start against Altrincham on Saturday: Anthony Straker, Joel Grant, Scott Davies and Junior Mendes.

Nikki Bull, Ben Harding and Lewis Chalmers were not even included in the squad and watched the fun and frolics from the stand.

It was indicative of Aldershot’s priorities that the players in the stand were keeping tabs on how Cambridge United were faring at Crawley, in the league. The news from there was good, too, as Aldershot’s promotion rivals continue to slip up in their pursuit of Waddock’s side.

So, it was little surprise that the manager was all smiles after the game; it’s always nice to reach a final and this win was a nice fillip ahead of a crucial week in the league, with the Shots away three times in five days from Monday, at Crawley, Droylsden and Stafford.

“I am delighted for the players and the whole club that we have made a final,” said Waddock. “We have a young side and it will be a fantastic experience for them to play in a final.”

Aldershot’s team spirit was there for all to see during the shoot-out, with the whole squad together on the touchline. “We have a close squad and lots of young lads. They want to achieve and they stick together.”

Those young heads largely kept their nerve in the shoot-out too, with Scott Donnelly, Davies and Kirk Hudson scoring emphatically, as did the elder statesman of the Shots, Ricky Newman.

Unfortunately Grant, with a chance to seal the game, was not so cute. He had lived up to his ‘non-league Ronaldo’ tag in the first half, with mesmerising step-overs, shimmies and close control — plus a lovely goal to boot — but his chipped penalty made a standard backpass look like a piledriver, and was easily saved by Ross Worner.

Fortunately for Grant, the game’s other outstanding player, Pattison, blasted the next kick so high it almost cleared the roof of the East Bank.

It was as wild a penalty miss as Roberto Baggio’s for Italy in the World Cup final of 1994. That too was cruel on a  player who deserved better; then again, perhaps long hair got in the way of both players.

But the hero of the shoot-out was Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, who pulled off a magnificent save to deny Damian Batt, after the seven perfect penalties that had gone before.

It was a deserved triumph for Jaimez-Ruiz, who has spent almost the entire season warming the bench as cover for Nikki Bull and deserved his moment of glory. Whether he plays in the final remains to be seen but he also made crucial saves in normal time, most notably from Matt Gray’s flying header in the 87th minute and then from Marvin Morgan in injury-time.

“I’m delighted for Mikhael,” said Waddock. “It was great to see him make that crucial shoot-out save. I was pretty relaxed before the penalties. The lads show a lot of confidence and composure in general play, so I didn’t think penalties would faze them.

“I was worried when I saw Joel walking up. I could tell he might try something clever and I thought ‘oh, no!’ but, to be fair, he chipped in with an extremely good performance earlier.”

In that first half, Woking started well but Grant gave Aldershot the lead after a fine run in the 13th minute, set up by Mendes. Jason Norville scrambled home an equaliser five minutes later but Straker’s magnificent goal made it 2-1 on 27 minutes, cutting inside from left back and spanking a right-footed shot into the top corner.

“I’ve told Strakes to put his right foot in an ice bucket because he sure can’t do that with his left foot,” joked Waddock afterwards.

Grant (twice), Rob Elvins, who again offered very little goal threat, and Louie Soares,  who worked hard all night, might easily have extended Aldershot’s advantage before half-time, but Woking were the better side after the break.

Marvin Morgan duly equalised from Pattison’s cross, in the 54th minute.

After that, Tom Hutchinson blasted over when he should have scored and Winfield stopped the ball right on the line, after Liam Marum had rounded Jaimez-Ruiz. Seconds later the keeper denied Gray in spectacular fashion.

Both sides were tired in extra-time and even Danny Hylton and Kirk Hudson, fresh from the bench, could not inspire the Shots, although they did create the best chance, with Mendes poking inches wide of the far post.

There was also the uplifting sight of Ryan Scott entering the fray deep into extra-time, for his first piece of competitive action against Blue Square Premier opponents since breaking his leg at the end of last season.

Such had been the entertainment on offer — albeit not always of the highest quality — that referee Philips looked keen to carry on, even after Pattison had ballooned over. Hylton was called forward to take a sixth penalty, even though it wasn’t necessary. Eventually the farce was sorted out and the Shots celebrated. “I was aware we had won,” said Waddock. “But I’m not sure the referee was.

“It’s very nice to go through but now we turn to Saturday’s game in the league against Altrincham. We have a busy week ahead.”

Aldershot: Jaimez-Ruiz, Smith, Straker, Newman, Winfield, Davies, Soares (Scott 105), Donnelly, Elvins (Hylton 79), Mendes (Hudson 99), Joel Grant. Subs not used: Day, Gier.

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail