SHOTS SHOW THEIR METTLE
ALDERSHOT Town surged back into the play-off places with a thrilling, domineering victory in the battle of two of the league’s most exciting attacks.
A rare clean sheet was as much of a reward for Tommy Widdrington’s side as the two fine goals in first-half stoppage time which earned a vital three points and banished memories of Tuesday’s 5-0 humbling against AFC Fylde.
“I’m delighted but we could have scored more goals,” stressed hard taskmaster Widdrington after one of his side’s most complete performances of the season.
“When we have had our noses punched, the team has always bounced back, and the energy on and off the ball, and at times the quality on the ball, was what you work for as a manager. Everyone talks about us as an attacking threat, but them lads have worked their socks off. We had more legs in the team than we’ve probably had in a long while, in terms of mobility and energy.
“Had we gone in (at half-time) at 0-0 there would have been a tinge of disappointment. We fashioned some really good chances. The way the lads then managed the game in the second-half was superb. Altrincham had us on the backfoot in the last ten minutes but by then we’d seen off their main threat.”
Implementing Widdrington’s gameplan, to press a team who play out from the back, to perfection, Altrincham’s prolific front three were rarely allowed to threaten after Alex Newby’s first-minute free-kick flew just wide.
Soon, Lorent Tolaj saw two opportunist efforts skid wide, and Dejan Tetek’s shot cleared off the line. Yet for all of the endeavour on both sides, with Regan Linney and Tyler Frost only able to draw comfortable saves from their respective goalkeepers, the half seemed destined to end goalless.
Frost finally broke the deadlock with a fierce rising drive into the roof of the net, after Tolaj had battled to meet Harfield’s fine cross, and in the fourth minute of added time Mnoga sent Jack Barham scampering free on the counter-attack. His shot was parried by Matt
Gould, and Tolaj pounced to lash in a second.
Altrincham mustered scant response after the break – as shots from Linney and Chris ConnClarke were both deflected wide – and the Shots increasingly appeared more likely to score the next goal. Harfield’s fizzing 25-yard drive, inches over the bar, would have sealed a fine evening’s work.
The visitors’ late rally, in which Jake Cooper and Dior Angus failed to convert from pointblank range, was too little too late, leaving Phil Parkinson to admit: “Aldershot deserved their win.
“We weren’t at the levels we needed to be. That little period where we conceded the goals… Aldershot were well on top.”