A DAY WE WILL NEVER FORGET!
SO, in the end it proved a step too far, but Tommy Widdrington and Aldershot Town can look back with pride on an FA Cup journey they won’t forget in a hurry.
First, that astonishing 7-4 win at Swindon Town, from 7-0 up, then edging it at Edgley Park, thanks to Ollie Scott’s dramatic late winner against Stockport County.
It led them to a third round trip to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday when the dream finally came to an end – but not before the Shots left their mark on the West Midlands and the competition as a whole.
A staggering 4,861 travelling fans – almost double the club’s average home league gate – made their way up the M40 from Hampshire for, arguably, the biggest game in the phoenix club’s history. The handily-placed Greggs and various bar outlets in the heart of the Fan Zone were doing a roaring trade.
West Brom, five-time winners and five-time runners-up of the FA Cup, were famously eliminated from the competition by Aldershot’s big rivals Woking in 1991, and given a scare by Chesterfield at this stage 12 months ago but never looked in danger of slipping up here.
While Baggies boss Carlos Corberan could afford to make eight changes from his starting eleven and hand senior debuts to no fewer than five of his youngsters, opposite number Widdrington was shorn of, arguably, his two best players; wonderkid, Josh Stokes, who was harshly handed a second yellow card for diving in the New Year’s Day derby at Woking, and key defender Hal Mnoga, who was with Tanzania in the Asian Cup.
Indeed, the scale of the task was all too evident right from the off. Just six minutes had passed when Tom Fellows was freed down the right and cut back into the danger area for former Chelsea man Nathaniel Chalobah to rifle home into the top corner.
Shell-shocked Aldershot sadly caved in and after being punished for two defensive errors, the game was lost.
First, Cian Harries trod on the ball from Coby Rowe’s throw in and Jevon Malcolm ghosted into the box from the left and plant the ball into the far corner. Then, on 27 minutes, a corner from the left wasn’t dealt with by Stuart O’Keefe at the back stick and the ball ricocheted back to returning USA international Darryl Dike, who clinically lashed home.
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Dike might have had a second before his planned halftime withdrawal, forcing a strong one-handed save from Jordi van Stappershoef with a wicked 20-yard effort, but still the Shots fans at the Smethwick End made their voices heard.
“We shot ourselves in the foot in the first half but we were up against really, really good footballers,” Widdrington surmised.
“West Brom are a class act a top, top Championship club which could easily be in the Premier League, and they punished us. That’s what happens when you come up against top class opposition like that.”
‘Aldershot Til I Die’ came the chant as Widdrington’s men enjoyed a more encouraging start to the second half as hopes grew that they would get their one big moment.
Tyler Frost saw an effort from Ollie Harfield’s cross deflected wide, while Lorent Tolaj unleashed a fierce effort which was pushed away from diving Albion keeper Josh Griffiths.
A much-changed Albion were restricted to efforts on counter attack with young debutant Fenton Heard firing an excellent effort from distance inches over the bar before sub Layton Love ballooned his effort after being put through one-on-one.
Pride
Eventually, Albion did add a fourth goal; Fellows cutting inside Harfield and burying a shot beyond van Stappershoef with two minutes to go.
But after Kwame Thomas blasted Aldershot’s best effort high over the crossbar from close range, the moment that the fans had waited all afternoon to see finally arrived – and with almost the last kick of the game.
Tommy Willard’s cut back from the right hit a Baggies defender and young striker Ollie Bray – who was playing Step 4 football with Willand Rovers just four months ago – planted his shot beyond Griffiths at his near post for his first senior goal, sparking the loudest cheer of the day.
“I’m absolutely thrilled that we scored a goal,” Widdrington added. “To score here is tantamount to a little bit of a sweet victory for me. While we didn’t win the game, it was Ollie’s day and that’s what the FA Cup does, perennially.
“The overriding emotion is absolute pride. I’m delighted with the way the lads responded.
“At half-time we said we could get something positive out of this experience if we play more like us in the second half, which we did.
“I want my players to experience that and now they have, I want them to want it again and again.
“I’m so proud of the group and proud of our club – the way the nearly 5,000 Shots fans behind the goal acted has been fantastic. I’s been a great day for the club.”