Aldershot 1
(Partington 5′)
United 1
(McGavin 9′)
The points were shared at The EBB Stadium on Saturday afternoon, as United secured a 1-1 draw against Aldershot.
After Aldershot captain Joe Partington gave his side an early lead, Brett McGavin restored parity soon after, and that was the way it stayed in Hampshire.
United manager Gary Johnson named one change in the starting eleven that slipped to a 2-1 defeat over Bromley in the week, with Ben Wyatt coming in for Dean Moxey. New loan signing Kevin Dawson was named on the bench, whilstAli Omar also returned to the matchday squad.
The hosts took the lead on 5 minutes through a set-piece. Oliver Pendlebury’s corner found Partington at the near-post who flicked his header which went in off the far-post.
A few minutes later however, United were back on level terms. McGavin picked up the ball on the edge of the Aldershot box before firing his effort low and into the bottom-left corner, 1-1.
In the 15th minute good play down the right by Tope Fadahunsi saw the Sutton United loanee earn United their first corner of the game. Taken by McGavin the corner was glanced clear by Tyler Cordner, before the ball came back to Kieron Evans on the edge of the Aldershot box who got his effort on target, but saw it gathered by Luca Ashby-Hammond.
Gary Johnson’s side continued to pressure the Aldershot defence, forcing the home side’s backline to hold firm for a number of United corners. On 18 minutes another McGavin corner was half-cleared before a follow-up cross by Lewis Collins found Aaron Jarvis at the far-post, whose header took a deflection and went onto the roof of the net.
In the 24th minute the men in yellow went close to taking the lead. McGavin’s corner found Ross Marshall at the far-post who nodded his header down, with the ball dropping just wide of goal. Two minutes later saw the hosts work themselves back into the game with latest addition Tahvon Campbell making his way into the left edge of the United box before firing his effort wide.
On 36 minutes the travelling Yellow Army behind the goal thought Jarvis had put United ahead after he met McGavin’s corner, but Jarvis’ effort was unfortunately straight at Ashby-Hammond who was able to make the save.
Gary Johnson’s side continued to press forward in the closing stages of the first half, but following two additional minutes, nothing could separate the two sides at the halfway stage, 1-1.
Inside the opening stages of the final 45, a panicked clearance saw the home side escape danger after Fadahunsi broke into the left side of the Aldershot box, with his deflected effort just being put out of play before a yellow shirt was able to pounce on the rebound.
On 52 minutes Mark Halstead was forced into action and made a great save to deny Pendlebury. Aldershot’s number 19 fired his effort from outside the box, forcing Halstead to dive to his right to make the save.
Two minutes later Fadahunsi advanced into the left side of the Aldershot box and looked to try and square the ball for a number of United players arriving in the middle, but his dangerous low cross was put out of play. The resulting corner went long before a follow-up effort was going towards the bottom-left corner, forcing Ashby-Hammond to stretch and make the save.
In the 56th minute the home side broke into the United box, but Pendlebury could only direct his shot wide. Moments later, Jarvis played Fadahunsi through into the box, but Ashby-Hammond was quick off of his line to smother Fadahunsi’s close-range strike.
On 64 minutes United’s number one made two great saves in quick succession to deny the Shots. Substitute Justin Amaluzor played a red shirt through into the United box, with the shot being saved by Halstead, before the rebound fell to another red shirt, with Halstead producing another fantastic save from close-range to keep the home side out.
The home side worked themselves back into the game and United’s backline did well to defend a number of dangerous corners. On 88 minutes Halstead denied Tyler Frost and in the final minute of additional time, a cross by Ben Wyatt was met by substitute Ryan Hanson rising in the middle, who could only direct his header over goal.
With nothing to separate the sides, the points were shared, and United now move on to another away trip, this time to Solihull Moors on Tuesday.
Aldershot Town: 1. Luca Ashby-Hammond, 4. Joe Partington (c), 5. Tyler Cordner, 8. Tyler Frost, 9. Tahvon Campbell (17. Jake Hutchinson 82′), 16. Corey Jordan, 18. Henry Ochieng, 19. Oliver Pendlebury (10. Josh McQuoid 67′), 22. Haji Mnoga, 23. Ryan Glover, 29. Morgan Roberts (7. Justin Amaluzor 57′).
SUBS NOT USED: 20. Michael Klass, 27. Tommy Willard.
Yellow Cards: Mnoga 44′, Cordner 71′
United: 1. Mark Halstead, 4. Tom Lapslie (28. Kevin Dawson 77′), 6. Ross Marshall, 9. Aaron Jarvis, 10. Tope Fadahunsi, 11. Kieron Evans, 14. Brett McGavin (7. Ryan Hanson 80′), 15. Ben Wyatt, 16. Shaun Donnellan, 19. Nico Lawrence, 31. Lewis Collins.
SUBS NOT USED: 5. Ali Omar, 12. Jacob Mensah, 22. Rhys Lovett.
Attendance: 1,914 (284 away)