Scott’s new Blue after turnaround
Aldershot Town ........... 2 Chelsea Under 21 ........ 3
THROWING away a two-goal lead may not be the ideal way to begin pre-season, but manager Andy Scott rightly declared himself satisfied with Aldershot Town’s first friendly as they more than matched a strong Chelsea Under 21 side until the final 10 minutes.
The Shots were the better side in a first-half which saw Brett Williams immediately rediscover his goalscoring touch, with two goals in 25 minutes to cap a team performance full of resolve, purpose and no little pace.
New signings Phil Smith, Glenn Wilson, Sam Hatton, Damon Lathrope and Dan Fitchett – along with two new recruits, Forest Green Rovers loanee Kieron Forbes and lively midfielder Naby Diallo – all made impressive debuts against a Blues team featuring Netherlands international Patrick van Aanholt, Croatian under-21 international Stipe Perica, French wonderkid Gael Kakuta and Englishman Billy Clifford, all of whom played on loan in senior European leagues last season.
It was that man Williams, though, who stood out, in the battle of Landlord v Tenant, finishing with a superb shot into the far corner in just the ninth minute, after Tristan Plummer’s bullish burst into the box left right-back Fankaty Dabo trailing in his wake.
Scott was fulsome in his praise, but also reminded last season’s top scorer of both the ambition and competition for places which now urges every member of his new squad to greater heights.
“The first hour was really good and we saw some very encouraging things in the first-half. There are obviously lots to work on but there are signs of it coming together already. It was a really good work out for us against very talented opposition.
“Brett knows he’s got competition now, and I want him to improve. He knows he’s got to do better, and he can do better.
“He had a fantastic season last year and if he has the same again there’s no reason why he can’t play at a higher level. He understands that the pressure is on him.”
Jaydon Gibbs also picked up where he left off before his hernia injury in April, and it was his cross-shot, spilled by goalkeeper Collins, which gifted Williams his second on 25 minutes. Thereafter, however, with Fitchett limping off and the substitution merrygo-round in full swing after the break, Chelsea were resurgent.
Charlie Collett’s header sparked the comeback before half-time, before Perica capped a domineering display with another header, to equalise on 73 minutes.
Ruben Sammut tapped in the winner, after Kiwomya and Ssweankambo opened up The Shots’ defence on 82 minutes, but trialist Richard Danquah prevented a fourth when he slid in to dispossess Kiwomya, who had raced onto Musonda’s sublime through ball and rounded replacement goalkeeper Nick Jupp.
Just two weeks into a fiveweek schedule which culminates in the first Conference Premier fixture at home to Altrincham, Andy Scott nonetheless found ample cause for optimism. His squad remains a work-inprogress – with depth to be added to what is expected to be a small yet versatile group – but this was still undeniably a positive start.
ALDERSHOT: Smith (Jupp 46), Lathrope (Rudolph 62), Wilson, Barker (Oastler), Hatton (Daly 69), Williams (O Roberts 56), Fitchett (Forbes 43), Gibbs (Fofana 46), J Roberts (Gerrard 73), Plummer (Molesley 46), Diallo (Danquah 77).
CHELSEA U21: Collins, Dabo (Brady 46), Sswewakambo, Davey (Clarke-Salter 46), van Aanholt (Wright 57), Clifford (Christie-Davies 62), Palmer (Musonda 46), Collett (Sammut 62), Kiwomya, Kakuta (Ali 62), Perica.