Adam Mekki
advertisement
Mekki the saviour for Aldershot in Oxford draw
By Jon CouchDecember 11, 2012
ADAM MEKKI registered his own goal of the season contender to rescue a point for Aldershot Town at Oxford United – while also silencing team-mate Peter Vincenti.
Winger Mekki revealed that best friend Vincenti had been revelling in his 35-yard strike which helped earn the Shots a place in the FA Cup third round at Fleetwood last week.
So, the young Academy star decided to have his own say by bending a sublime effort into the top corner from right out on the left-hand touchline six minutes from time to hand Dean Holdsworth's men a deserved share of the spoils in the 1-1 draw at the Kassam Stadium.
It capped a memorable cameo appearance for Mekki, who almost single-handedly turned the game on its head when coming on as a 74th-minute substitute for Vincenti.
Playing in an unorthodox position on the left, the Welsh Under-21 international led the late assault for a leveller after Adam Chapman had given Oxford a 32nd-minute lead.
Mekki terrorised U's right-back Damian Batt to the point where Oxford frustrations led to substitute Simon Heslop being sent off for a vicious lunge on the Shots wingman. It was all they could do to stop him.
In the end, however, it was also enough to earn the Shots a point, albeit a precious one which lifted them out of the bottom two in League Two.
But after striker Danny Hylton had two strong penalty appeals waved away by referee Tony Harrington, boss Holdsworth could not help wondering whether it was two points dropped rather than one gained given his side's battling display.
"It was a really good point but part of me is really annoyed because we should have had two penalties out there," Holdsworth said.
“I don't often air my views on referees but the consistency in the decisions was really poor.
"I thought we had enough to nick it in the end, I thought we played really well and I was delighted with a lot of good things out there.
"Mekki made a great impact when he came on. He has been out injured for a while but he has been working hard and that is what he can do.
“It is testament to him that he scored in the way that he did. It shows we have more strength in depth now and there is confidence throughout the side.
"Oxford is a great club and to come here and boss the game I have to be delighted. The fans kept singing for us and they got their rewards in the end."
Browse Sections
