SHOTS GUN DOWN DALE
JIMMY McNulty admitted that a twogoal defeat flattered his ring-rusty Rochdale as Aldershot Town rose back into the play-off places with another rousing home performance.
The Shots started both halves superbly, against a Dale side playing their first game in three weeks and struggling to replenish an injury-hit squad.
McNulty gave debuts to goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks and winger D’Mani Mellor but their contributions couldn’t overcome a resurgent Shots team who continue to be one of the division’s great entertainers.
“We weren’t very good, really,” was McNulty’s simple summary. “Sometimes when you haven’t played for a long time, the game slaps you awake – and this gives us a bit of a slap. Three-one flattered us to a degree. It could have been a much bigger score.
“Aldershot looked like a team who had played recently and we didn’t. They make the game like a basketball game, and you have to be intense and ready to run all the time.”
Almost immediately, Dale were having to play catch-up. Jack Barham scuffed a shot across goal but it fell perfectly at the feet of Lorent Tolaj who tapped in at the far-post.
Yet again, though, Aldershot Town failed to protect their lead. Within five minutes, Ethan Ebanks-Landell lofted a pass out of defence, and Ian Henderson was afforded too much space to deftly control the ball and finish neatly for his fourth goal in five games.
Kyron Gordon had two efforts flash across goal but a 10-minute period either side of half-time proved decisive.
Stuart O’Keefe’s burst into the box duped Max Taylor into an unnecessary challenge, and Cian Harries stepped up to score his sixth penalty of the season. With the last kick of the half, Bristol City-bound Josh Stokes nearly lobbed Brooks from 50 yards, but the break failed to halt their momentum.
Stokes had an angled drive parried, and Tolaj hit the underside of the crossbar with a fiercely-struck shot, at the start of the second-half, before Stokes’ through-ball, dummied by Tolaj, invited Barham to score with an acutely-angled finish.
McNulty’s introduction of Jesurun Uchegbalam into what amounted to a front five suggested allout attack but the visitors continued to lack creativity and control.
By contrast, the Shots’ effervescent front three, Stokes, Tolaj and Barham, all had opportunities to extend the lead, leaving manager Tommy Widdrington almost happy with a comfortable win.
“I’m not totally satisfied – we had chances to score more goals and we didn’t take them, and we switched off for their goal,” he admitted. “But this was a really good advert for the league – a really good game and to a man we’ve grafted hard.”
STAR MAN: Lorent Tolaj (Aldershot)
ATT: 3,011
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★
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