Slick Shots have Nou worries

ALL SMILES: Joel Nouble celebrates scoring Aldershot’s first goal

WREXHAM’S sixgame unbeaten run crashed and burned at the hands of of a patchedup Aldershot Town side inspired by Joel Nouble at the double.

The winger underlined his superb recent form with two goals and an assist but it was 20-year-old centre-back Ben Shroll, making his debut with five Shots defenders missing through injury or suspension, who typified a resurgent display against the odds.

“We know what qualities we’ve got in the dressing room and how hard these lads work so I was confident we’d put a performance in today and thankfully they rewarded my confidence,” praised Shots boss Danny Searle.

“When players have been asked to step up and perform they always have, and that’s a credit to the mentality in the dressing room. Everyone on the pitch today was outstanding.”

Manager Dean Keates felt Wrexham should have had the game won in the first quarter after three headers, twice from Dior Angus and then Tyler French, went close but the Shots steadily grew in confidence and stature.

A fine cross from emergency right-back Alfy Whittingham was fumbled by Christian Dibble, allowing Nouble to tap in from six yards with what amounted to their first effort on target, and thereafter the hosts set about justifying their fortuitous lead.

“We started really well but you can’t legislate for the mistake, Christian’s error cost us and after that we got a little bit jittery,” admitted Keates, who also claimed his side could have had three penalties. “We still had chances after that but we didn’t take them.”

Dibble parried Chike Kandi’s angled drive and Ricky Miller’s trickery brought another strong save as Aldershot pushed for a second, but even though Wrexham ended the half on top they lacked the creativity to break down a resolute home defence.

Academy graduate Shroll made a fine block to preserve the advantage at half-time and underline Searle’s assertion that “he looked like a man out there, against a very good front two”.

Seconds after the re-start, Nouble’s 22-yard drive deflected off the back of Mark Carrington as it flew past a wrong-footed Dibble into the net and the Shots had breathing space. Nouble then turned provider with brilliant close control to swerve past two defenders on his way to the byline, and the pull-back invited Jermaine Anderson to seal the victory from close range.

Angus saw one snapshot saved and blazed another opportunity high and wide, but Wrexham had long since run out of ideas when Elliot Durrell’s swerving last-minute drive was tipped onto the crossbar by Mitch Walker.

“We didn’t help ourselves today but we have to learn from it,” admitted the Wrexham manager. “We turned up for 15 minutes and should have been out of sight.”

STAR MAN: Joel Nouble (Aldershot)

ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★

REFEREE: Elliott Swallow