28/4/2008

Sport

Shots wave goodbye to non-league football

GARY Waddock has patiently repeated many a mantra to excitable journalists in post-match interviews this season, successfully deflecting pressure away from his squad as the promotion pressure-cooker came to the boil.

“We can only concentrate on the next game and the three points on offer,” has been the off-the-pitch equivalent of Ben Harding: ever-present.

But most interviews ended with: “This is a long season, let’s just see how many points we end up with at the end of it.”
Well, now we and Waddock know: 101. That’s a whopping 15 points — five wins — clear of closest rivals Cambridge United and Torquay United.

When Aldershot came to the boil in the race for promotion, Cambridge, Torquay and the like were caught cold. While they were tepid and timid, the Ginger Jose’s Aldershot were red-hot. And now the chasing pack must enter the cauldron that is the play-offs, while the Shots’ players, courtesy of the club, feel the heat of the Mediterranean sun on their backs, basking in an afterglow of champions.

Room 101 may be a place of nightmares in George Orwell’s 1984 but, instead, season 2007-08 and its 101 points has been the stuff of dreams for Aldershot and its loyal supporters. They were out in force and fancy-dress to salute their heroes as the sun set on the season at Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday.

Typically of this squad and Waddock, they did not let the fans down, coming from behind to ensure that they remained unbeaten in the league since they were comprehensively outplayed by York City at the end of January, 19 game ago.

Granted, a 1-1 draw was Aldershot’s fifth stalemate in the last six league games, but who can blame them for easing off a little when the job was finished well before the completion date.

After the game, Waddock went as far as describing his side’s achievements as a ‘miracle’, before paying tribute to what he regarded as a fitting finale to the season.

“It’s been an amazing season for me, Martin [Kuhl] and the backroom staff. Everybody has played their part,” said Waddock.

“The players will have learnt and developed through this season and taken a lot from it. They have grown in confidence from the manner and the way they’ve played. And the style of it too — and obviously what they’ve achieved. It’s a fantastic season for everybody.

“I thought we played really well today, moving the ball around really well and creating chances. The pleasing thing is that we have gone a long time now unbeaten.

“We won the championship a couple of weeks back but we’ve picked up points since then and haven’t lost, which is important.”

At times the game was typically end-of-season; after all, the Shots had done their hard work and Rushden, in mid-table, had little to play for. The easy pace and nature of the game certainly suited Harding, who was at his imperious best, making space in midfield and spraying passes with style and substance.

Not for the first time, however, the Shots required a little adversity to reach their peak. After Sam Smith stabbed Rushden ahead in the 65th minute, Aldershot immediately pressed for equality and, after a foul in the area stopped Joel Grant’s pacy dribble, John Grant swept home from the spot.

It was Grant’s 20th league goal in a season in which he has been injured twice for a lengthy period. Successfully converting a penalty quickly banished painful memories of his spot-kick miss in last Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Weymouth at the Rec too, even if it did deny Rob Gier the chance to score his first goal for the Shots. Gier attempted to grab the ball after the foul on Joel Grant but the other Grant pulled rank, in rather more amicable fashion than the spat between Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Michael Ballack a few hours previously.

“We went a goal down but that’s not the first time that’s happened to us this season and we responded,” said Waddock. “I’m sure John was a little bit nervous taking the penalty but he slotted it away really well.

“It’s a fantastic total he’s got but I’m sure he’d be the first to thank the players for creating the chances. As I’ve said from day one, it’s all about the squad. Every member has played their part.”

In the first half, Aldershot really only came to life for one minute, the 16th, when Lewis Chalmers had an effort cleared off the line, Harding had a shot saved onto the post by Rushden keeper Martyn Margarson and John Grant ballooned the rebound over the bar.

Rushden, for whom Dean Howell and Abdou El-Kholti formed an impressive left flank, shaded a lacklustre first half, in which Aldershot had plenty of defending to do, with Ricky Newman and Gier especially solid.

But while Rushden had their moments in the second half — as well as Smith’s goal, El Kholti’s volley hit a post and Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, playing in place of Nikki Bull, who continues to struggle with a leg injury, saved well from Jake Beecroft — Aldershot were the better team, enjoying long periods of concerted pressure.

After a marauding run from Lewis Chalmers had been rudely interrupted, John Grant’s flying volley from Harding’s curling free-kick was just inches wide. Junior Mendes, who was a lively replacement for Rob Elvins, nearly set up Harding for a tap-in and, at the death, Mendes was superbly denied by Margarson, after working space in the area from Joel Grant’s clever cutback.

Seconds after that, the game ended on a sour note for Aldershot, when Anthony Straker was given a straight red card for barging substitute Lawrence Lambley to the ground, as he looked to burst clear into the area.

Straker, sent off for two bookings away to Forest Green Rovers in September, is likely to miss the first two matches of the League Two season in August. “Of course I’m disappointed that he [Straker] got sent off at the end of the last day of the season, but things like that happen in football,” said Waddock. “But we’re not going to be too worried about it. We will miss him at the start of next season but we will just have to adjust accordingly.”

Waddock is already busy planning for next season. While the players are on the Costa del Sol before returning for this Sunday’s celebrations in Aldershot town centre, Waddock joked that “I might have an hour off come June.”

First and foremost, Waddock is waiting for a number of key players to respond to the club’s contract offers. The spine of the side’s midfield and defence — Harding, Chalmers, Anthony Charles and Bull — lead the list of players who have yet to agree terms for next season.

While Harding and Charles look set to stay, rumours persist that Chalmers and Bull may be lured away to a league higher than League Two. Only time will tell.

“We’re in the process of sorting out contracts now, over the next week or so,” said Waddock. “The players will respond to the offers that have been made. They will return from a thoroughly deserved break away and come back to me and let me know whether they are accepting the offers or not. And then we move on.”

Waddock, meticulous to the core, will already have new targets lined up, whether or not key players choose to stay.

“We’re stepping up a level. Martin and I are extremely positive,” said Waddock. “We’ve got a group of young of players and we need to add to that and make the group better.

“People might think you switch off until pre-season but that’s not the case. This period now is very busy, as we build towards a new campaign.”

Already it is rumoured that Ryan Scott will be leaving the club. The central midfielder’s season has been ravaged by injury and the summer arrival of Chalmers, the blossoming of Harding and the emergence of Scott Donnelly have left Scott with little chance of a first-team future.

And, as far as Waddock is concerned, this season is already history, albeit a hugely historic one. “We'll enjoy this period but we are already looking to the future,” said Waddock. “What we've achieved now has been put to bed after this game and while the players will enjoy it for a few weeks, when they come back into train they will be focused on a new campaign in League Two. And I'm looking forward to that already.

“Let’s see where we are are this time next year,” he added, in familiar fashion.

Aldershot: Jaimez-Ruiz 7, Gier 8, Straker 6, Charles 7, Newman 7 (Donnelly 46, 6), Chalmers 8, Soares 7, Harding 9, John Grant 7, Elvins 6 (Mendes 58, 7), Joel Grant 8.

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail