In the first of a home double header Aldershot are in town as Gary Johnson’s men return to Plainmoor under the floodlights.
Who’s the Boss?
Mark Molesley took the managerial position in September 2021 and has signed on until the end of the 2022/23 season. A former Shot himself, Molesley is highly regarded by supporters with the ex-midfielder scoring numerous pivotal goals for the side during his playing career.
Molesley began his managerial career in the youth ranks at Bournemouth before taking charge at Weymouth, where he enjoyed much success.
His Terras side were crowned champions of the Southern League at the end of the 2018/19 season, tallying 86 points across the season, he then guided the Dorset side to the National League for the first time since 2009 via the play-offs in 2019/20.
Molesley’s success at the Bob Lucas Stadium earned him a move to then Football League side Southend United in August 2020, where he remained until April 2021.
How have they been doing?
The Shots started the campaign slowly losing their first five games before winning 3-2 away at Southend United in mid September. Results did pick up during the middle part of the season including a late winner against the Gulls, however since the turn of the year results have slipped again. Coming into this game Aldershot haven’t won in their last six games, the last of those being Saturday’s 3-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Kings Lynn Town. Their record this season reads 8 wins 7 draws and 17 defeats and they currently sit in 20th position just 9 points above the relegation zone.
Player to watch
Lewis Kinsella came through the academy ranks at Arsenal and Aston Villa, but it was a loan spell at Luton Town where he got his first taste of league action. Kinsella then joined Kidderminster Harriers for the remainder of the 2015/16 season and after being released by Villa he signed for Colchester United, initially on a one year contract. An ankle injury saw his first season disrupted but he signed on for another year with the U’s before a loan spell at Aldershot led him to sign permanently at the EBB Stadium in 2018. To date Kinsella has made over 100 appearances for the Shots and has so far scored three league goals this season, one of them being the winner in the reverse fixture back in November.
Played for both
Myles Anderson made his first league start at Aberdeen before a move to Blackburn Rovers in 2011. However only short loan spells at Aldershot and Exeter City followed before he moved across Europe spending three years in Italy at such clubs as Monza and Chievo. After returning to England with Barrow Anderson then signed up here at Plainmoor for the 2016/17 season making 23 league appearances. Spells at Chester and then Hartlepool United followed before another loan spell at the Shots preceded his move to Weymouth. The defender is currently in the National League South at Braintree.
Previous Encounter
Torquay United 2 – 1 Aldershot Town, 27th April 2021, National League.
There was – yet again – more late drama at Plainmoor, as United secured an injury-time victory over Aldershot. Asa Hall’s 12th goal of the season gave The Gulls the lead, slamming in a right footed volley from an Adam Randell cross, though it was a short-lived one as Kodi Lyons-Foster equalised shortly after. With the match looking to be heading towards a draw, Torquay came up trumps again at the death, as Scott Boden netted the winner with the deftest of flicks from another Randell cross and only seconds remaining.