FENELON’S CLASS TOO MUCH FOR SHAYMEN
DOSWELL GIVES OUT A LESSON TO ORIENT
LAST season’s play-off semi-finalists Aldershot Town got off to the perfect start in their curtain-raiser to the new season by overcoming a stern test from FC Halifax Town.
The Shaymen entered the campaign with high optimism after promotion via the National League North play-offs in May, but second-half goals from the excellent Shamir Fenelon and James Rowe gave the Shots three points, much to the delight of manager Gary Waddock.
“It was a difficult fixture for the first game of the season with Halifax on the back of a promotion and coming into the season with a lot of momentum. It is a difficult place to come to, so we have had a good day,” said Waddock.
“The first half was typical for the first game, but there were quite a few incidents in the second half and, thankfully, we managed to come away with the result.
The home side started the brighter with the lively Josh Macdonald producing an enticing second-minute cross, which Tom Denton couldn’t convert, with Connor Oliver skewing the loose ball wide.
On an immaculate Shay surface, however, Aldershot’s eye-catching passing display ensured they kept Halifax’s defence on their toes, although the closest they came in the first half was a teasing Nick Arnold cross which missed everyone and curled narrowly wide of the far post.
Oliver had three good opportunities to give Town the lead at the start of the second half before the Shots pounced quickly to break the deadlock – Scott Rendell’s intricate pass finding Fenelon, who rounded Sam Johnson and slotted into an empty net. A Ben Tomlinson chip was expertly tipped to safety by Jake Cole, before Fenelon was denied his second by the offside flag despite clearly being in an onside position. Nathan Hotte was then hauled down in the Aldershot box before the visitors raced down the other end, where substitute Shaun Okojie crumpled under a good challenge from Scott Garner, only for the referee to point to the spot. James Rowe converted from 12 yards to secure the three points, but Halifax boss Billy Heath remained positive afterwards, saying: “The players did everything they could and they all put a lot of effort in and I was pleased. But I was disappointed with the way we conceded the two goals.”