Coca-Cola League Two

Aldershot Town 1 AFC Bournemouth 1

A 1-1 DRAW is, statistically, the most common result in football.

But there was nothing run-of-the-mill about this goal apiece stalemate, which was a royally entertaining clash between two attacking teams and a fitting match with which to welcome League football back to Aldershot.

One-all was a fair result, too. While substitute Ricki Sappleton’s late equaliser, cancelling out a rare goal for the Shots by Louie Soares, was against the run of play of the second half, only the agility of keeper Nikki Bull had stopped Bournemouth taking a decisive advantage before the break.

Conceding an equaliser with less than ten minutes to go is never easy to stomach but this point and the opening day victory at Accrington Stanley certainly represent a good start to life in League Two for Gary Waddock’s side.

Bournemouth have, after all, maintained most of the squad that strung six consecutive victories together towards the end of last season in League One, before being relegated on the final day.

Sappleton’s goal may have mooted Saturday’s celebrations but this, just like the Accrington win and the honourable defeat at Coventry in the Carling Cup, was another encouraging day for Aldershot fans. The manner in which Waddock’s side took the game to the visitors in the second half was especially impressive. Seldom has the East Bank been so raucous — and that is saying something — even if the crowd of 4,564 was a little disappointing.

“It was a brilliant occasion,” said Waddock afterwards. “The atmosphere was great and the players respond to that. The fans have played their part yet again. It was a good football match too, between two sides who want to get the ball down and play.

“It was no doubt a great game to watch for a neutral and I think 1-1 was a fair result. We have moved up a level and we were taking on an extremely good side today. Overall, with a win and a draw in the league we have had a decent start. We were close today to two wins from two but it wasn’t to be.”

Sappleton’s emphatic finish, a smashing half-volley that sped past Bull into the top corner, was from the top-drawer and drew a wry smile from Waddock. “I know young Ricki well [Sappleton was a youth product at Queens Park Rangers, where Waddock was youth coach and then first team manager].

“He’s a good player and has a big future ahead of him. I’m pleased for him but I wish he could have chosen to score [his first senior goal] another day.”

But Aldershot still came close to victory when, in injury-time, Lewis Chalmers’ pass put fellow substitute Danny Hylton through on goal. Hylton elected to go round Bournemouth keeper Shwan Jalal and his shot was cleared off the line by Joel Ward.

“We had a right go at them in the second half and Danny had a chance to win it for us,” said Waddock. “His decision was to go round the keeper and that narrowed the angle.”

If Hylton had shot as he bore down on Jalal then Aldershot might well be celebrating two wins from two, along with Dagenham, Shrewsbury, Bury and Bradford at the top. Then again, Bournemouth were adamant that, three minutes after Sappleton’s goal, Anthony Charles had cleared Scott Guyett’s header off the line with his arm.

“It looked the like the most blatant handball I’ve ever seen,” said Bournemouth manager Kevin Bond. But referee Andy D’Urso, fortunately for Charles and the Shots, did not see it that way.

Charles and Chris Blackburn enjoyed another steady game together at the heart of the Aldershot defence, in which Dean Howell and Ben Starosta, the fullbacks, look less assured. Waddock even replaced Howell at the break, bringing on Anthony Straker, available again after suspension.

“It was a tactical decision to take off Dean,” confirmed Waddock after the game. “I spoke to him at half-time and told him that you’re here because you’re a good player. You just need to relax and enjoy your football. I just thought Strakes would be able to get at them a bit more than Dean — and he did.”

Howell had struggled to clear his lines in the first half and was caught in possession more than once, trying to dribble out of danger. But, in fairness to him, Bournemouth, prompted by Darren Anderton, the former England international, opened up the whole Shots team on several occasions.

First, in the ninth minute, Bull somehow palmed up and over Brett Pitman’s point-blank header — “That was Gordon Banks-like,” said Waddock afterwards — and then, five minutes later, Bull miraculously tipped wide Ward’s header.

In between, Anderton nearly caught the Shots out with a near-post corner, straight from the Tottenham manual of the 1990s.
 Pitman, playing the Teddy Sheringham role at the near post, saw his low shot deflected inches wide. Later, two minutes before the break, Bull made another flying save from a Pitman header.

Bournemouth were the more incisive side but the Shots still had good moments of their own going forward. John Grant flashed an early cross-shot wide and also nearly caught out Jalal with a clever lob from Kirk Hudson’s pass. Hudson also set up Marvin Morgan, whose power and pace troubled Ward all afternoon, and his shot was deflected onto the outside of a post. Hudson missed the best chance however, shooting over from Ben Harding’s pass.

“The first half was bit too end-to-end for my liking,” said Waddock. “Nikki Bull had to make some excellent saves. We need to learn that we need to be a bit more solid. I don’t want to take anything away from the way we play but sometimes we have to shut up shop.”

Aldershot did that for much of the second half. They were the side in the ascendancy and, while they struggled to trouble Jalal, the pressure mounted. Eventually Morgan seized on an error, fed Soares with a perfect pass and the winger slipped the ball under Jalal. It was a sweet moment for Soares, whose finishing in one-on-one situations was so poor in the second half of last season. This was his first goal for more than seven months.

“Louie tucked his chance away well and grew in confidence after that,” said Waddock.

Bond immediately introduced Sappleton, 18, who is on loan from Leicester City and bears a striking resemblance to another ex-Leicester youth player, Emile Heskey. Aldershot, initially, still dominated. Morgan thought he had made it 2-0 but his tap-in, after Jalal could only parry Hudson’s shot, was disallowed for offside.

But, in the 82nd minute, after Blackburn had headed Shaun Cooper's header off the line, Sappleton smashed home the equaliser. “I’ve seen him hit those out the ground before,” mused Waddock. But not this time.

In a frantic finale came Charles’ controversial goalline clearance, a shot inches wide from Harding, a penalty appeal for a shove on Morgan — Mr D’Urso deemed it a legal shoulder barge — and finally Hylton’s miss. He probably should have scored but 1-1 was a fair result. And a pretty good one too. Remember, this time last season, the Shots were losing 3-0 at home to Torquay United in the Conference.

Aldershot Town: Bull, Starosta, Howell (Straker 46), Blackburn, Charles, Harding, Soares, Donnelly (Chalmers 83), Grant (Hylton 83), Morgan, Hudson.
Bournemouth: Jalal, Guyett, Bradbury, Ward, Cummings, Cooper, Igoe (Sappleton 67), Anderton (Pettefer 90), Pitman, Kuffour, Bartley.

* Aldershot have been drawn at home to Swindon Town in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. The match will be played in the first week of September.

** Aldershot Reserves are at home to Millwall in the Pontins Holidays Combination tomorrow afternoon (2pm kick-off.). Gary Waddock said ahead of the game: "It's probably a week too early for Scott Davies to make his comeback from injury. We'll be looking to get him a game a week later.

"But the lads who have not be involved in the first team so far, who need match play, will feature." That means the likes of Rob Elvins, Junior Mendes and Rhys Day are likely to play, with Lewis Chalmers and Danny Hylton set to feature too.

"Everyone is knocking on door. A number of players are waiting for their opportunity but they will have to wait patiently until Martin and I feel we need to change the team.

"It’s good for the club as competition doesn’t harm anyone. Players have to stake a claim when they have a chance; the ball is in their court."