24/3/2008

Sport

Shots come from behind to extend lead at the top

By Guy Butchers

Two moments of brilliance, from teenage midfielder Scott Davies and serial hero Nikki Bull ensured another three points for Blue Square Premier leaders Aldershot Town after a rugged encounter with Altrincham.

This script was presumably from the same book that provided the storyline for the last Saturday league match, the 2-1 victory over Kidderminster Harriers: the Shots went behind to an early goal before a cocktail of grit, determination and skill overturned the deficit against hard-working opposition determined to stifle the life force out of the Shots’ creative department.

However, there was an added obstacle to overcome on this occasion, with Vivaldi-inspired weather as rain, sleet, snow, wind and sun all had their turn in the spotlight to make playing conditions anything but easy.

When things get difficult, though, that’s when this Aldershot side simply rolls up its collective sleeves and finds a way to achieve success. It may not have been pretty for much of the game but it’s results rather than performance that matter for now.

With Ben Harding starting on the left of midfield, to accommodate Davies in the centre with Lewis Chalmers, and Kirk Hudson on the right, the centre field was something of a battleground with Altrincham opting for a 4-5-1 formation. The early exchanges allowed little time or space for football.

Attacking the High Street end, the Shots had enjoyed the greater possession in the opening 13 minutes (Harding shot over from 25 yards; Mendes cleared the bar from 10 yards; Danny Hilton just failed to reach a cross from eight yards) but it was Altrincham who scored with their second attempt on goal, Bull having previously saved low to his right from former Shots’ trialist Chris Senior.

On 14 minutes, a long throw from Ryan Shotton was headed across goal and top-scorer Colin Little was on the mark to side-foot home a right-footed volley.

Not surprisingly Altrincham were buoyed by taking the lead and for five minutes put the home side on the rack. Aldershot weathered that storm (and the snow that was making another strong appearance) and on 23 minutes levelled the scores. Junior Mendes put in some deft work down the left and created enough space to place an inch-perfect low cross along the outside of the six-yard box where Anthony Charles executed a left-foot volley with precision from about eight yards out to rifle the ball home. You could feel the home supporters as a whole exhale a deep sigh of relief.

That was not the catalyst from Aldershot to go on the rampage, or for Altrincham to lie down and surrender. Aldershot did not create very much during the rest of the first half, and the few chances that did come their way were not dealt with clinically as the Shots had what has been a rare thing this season, a spell when they lacked a real cutting edge in front of goal.

Altrincham continued to make life difficult in the middle of the park and tried to press forward on occasions, without ever looking likely to add a second goal.

The best chance to fall to either side in the remainder of the first 45 minutes came in time added on as Mendes again assumed the role of provider to send Harding on a one-on-one with Stuart Coburn in the Altrincham goal. Unfortunately for the home side, Harding’s finish from just inside the area rolled inches past the wrong side of the left-hand upright.

The second half began with Louie Soares replacing Rob Gier in the right-back roll, an attacking move by Gary Waddock as he tried to inspire his team to go on and win the game.

The first 15 minutes of the half saw Aldershot having virtually all the ball, putting themselves in highly promising positions but lacking the final ball to round off the moves.

Manager Waddock decided on 54 minutes to alter his midfield make-up, with Harding moving inside to partner Chalmers in the centre, Davies going wide right and Hudson moving across to the left, while Altrincham sensed this could be their day and changed to a more adventurous 4-4-2 to match the Shots.

On 60 minutes we had the first moment of sheer brilliance, the sort of moments on which games turn and successful seasons are built.

Robbie Lawton played the ball across goal from the right to find Senior just four or five yards out. He struck the ball sweetly and with power and a goal was the only possible outcome. Nikki Bull thought otherwise. Despite starting to go the other way, he changed course and blocked the ball with his raised left arm: the reaction time would have left Muhammad Ali trailing.

There were a couple more goal-bound efforts from Altrincham soon after Bull’s save, and the keeper dealt comfortably with both.

That moment of magic seemed to lift the Shots’ players and they returned to attack mode, which earned them a free-kick from 30 yards out. Davies took responsibility, grabbing the ball and firing into the top right corner of the net while the visiting keeper was still positioning his wall. It was simply a case of quick thinking and pinpoint accuracy, which are just two of the hallmarks of Davies’ season at the Rec.

It was interesting to note that Davies’ celebration brought him from the penalty area in front of the East Bank all the way back to the home dugout to acknowledge coach Martin Kuhl, who had worked with him at the Reading Academy.

With their noses now ahead for the first time in the match, Aldershot were determined to stay there and the team kept the ball well and created two or three openings without ever really looking likely to add a third goal.

Match sponsors Branded Concept Security gave their man-of-the-match award to Davies, although it could just as easily have found its way to Bull.

However, another player to have performed well all afternoon and as yet not mentioned in this report, was Anthony Straker. The young left back was solid in his defensive duties – including a crucial block when Senior was through on 75 minutes – as well as starting much of the forward momentum with his runs down the flank, and creating confusion in the visiting team’s defence on the occasions he cut inside – along with Soares and Davies, Straker was one of those to try their luck from long range in the final 15 minutes.

Waddock was succinct in his thoughts on the importance of the victory. “Massive,” he said. “It was not the best game in the world but this squad of players has shown again what great character they have to come back from a goal down.

“Scotty Davies will get the plaudits for his free kick but Bully’s save was absolutely amazing – I don’t know how he does it but he’s done it on a number of occasions and has won us games this season.

“Altrincham are a difficult side. I say them make life difficult for Torquay when they drew down their and they made it tough for us here. They put five across the middle of the park and it’s not easy to break down.

“Obviously we would love to play free-flowing football every week but that’s not always possible, as was the case today but to be honest, at this time of the season all I am interested in is the three points.”

Aldershot Town: Bull 9, Gier 6 (Soares 46 6), Straker 7, Day 6, Charles 6, Harding 6, Davies 8 (Elvins 90), Chalmers 6, Hudson 6 (Joel Grant 78 6), Mendes 7, Hylton 7. Unused subs: Winfield, Jaimez-Ruiz.  

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail