Coca-Cola League Two

Notts County 2 Aldershot Town 1

Just as the nursery rhyme suggests, it was a case of two for joy as far as The Magpies of Nottingham were concerned on Saturday.

Two Magpie goals, against one of sorrow for Gary Waddock’s Aldershot, handed County their first League Two win of the season.

Talking of nurseries, Waddock was so furious at the manner of the defeat that he sent his young charges back to school for extra training the next day; Sunday was no day of rest for the Aldershot squad.

For County fans, Richard Butcher’s injury-time winner suggested that the match’s destiny had been pre-determined by the Football Fates, given that this was the day that County paid tribute to their greatest manager, Jimmy Sirrel, who died at the age of 86 last Thursday.

But Waddock offered more prosaic reasons for County’s dramatic victory. Aldershot, yet again, had conceded a late goal and, after Anthony Charles had headed them ahead in the 52nd minute, The Shots threw this match away, with an impotent mixture of poor defending and naïve attacking.

“For the first goal the lad has got across one of our defenders to score — that should not happen,” said Waddock, speaking after the game.

“As for the second goal, that was something that should just not happen at all and I am not pleased about it.”

This was not an awful performance but The Shots are proving awfully slow at learning from the late mistakes that are costing them points, especially away from home. It is now five times in eight league games — and three in a row away — that Aldershot have let in goals in the last ten minutes.

The Shots may still be riding high in the table, in seventh, but Waddock will not tolerate much more lax defending.

“To say I am disappointed to lose is an understatement,” said Waddock. “I felt we should have got something out of the game but, credit to County, they stuck with it. We didn’t.

“We can’t keep on conceding late goals in games. I won’t put up with it for too much longer. The players will find out just how frustrated and annoyed I am, when they turn up to training tomorrow.”

Waddock’s ire was easy to understand. Aldershot were culpable for both County goals. As well as conceding late, The Shots have developed a habit of letting in goals soon after scoring themselves.

Four minutes after Charles’ goal, it happened again. Junior Osborne, who, to be fair, had an otherwise good game at right back, conceded an unnecessary free-kick. Matt Hamshaw’s delivery was good but both Nikki Bull and his defenders could have dealt with it. Instead, veteran Michael Johnson headed home from close range.

The second goal was worse. The Shots’ inability to draw games normally has a positive spin but here was a chance to preserve a hard-earned point, rather than recklessly attack in search of three.
 
But, in the fourth minute of the five minutes of injury-time, Aldershot pushed forward in numbers down the left. Dean Howell overlapped past Scott Davies but the Irishman lost possession — right in front of Waddock.

County broke diagonally, quickly and Jamie Clapham, the experienced fullback making his home league debut, crossed from the left to the back post. Howell was still getting back from his forward foray and the cover was non-existent. Butcher was one of two unmarked players and his header looped over Bull.

“Never underestimate a point away from home,” said Waddock. “When it’s so late in the game, you hold on and get that point. We didn’t.”

Waddock accepts that a young side like his will make mistakes. The winning mentality that he has infused into his squad was perhaps Aldershot’s undoing in this game. Last season Davies scored one of Aldershot football’s greatest goals to win a match at Torquay in injury-time, when many less bold sides would have settled for a draw. Just last week, Davies was at it again, scoring the late winner over Gillingham.

“We are a young group and on occasions we are naïve,” said Waddock. “But while we approach every game to win, there are moments, especially late on, when you take the point. Today would have been the time to do it.”

And Waddock warned his players that they must start learning from him and Martin Kuhl — and quickly, to boot —if they want to remain in the manager’s plans.

“Mistakes can happen once or twice but after that you need to learn,” said Waddock. “And I’m not going to put up with it. If mistakes continue to happen, there will only be one outcome,” added Waddock, who had named an unchanged side for this game.

Not that Waddock has too many alternative options in defence, due to injuries and suspensions. Further forward, however, there is more scope for change, should Waddock take that route at home to leaders Bury this Saturday.

Seldom has Waddock been so disappointed in his squad; perhaps only the first leg FA Trophy semi-final defeat last season at Ebbsfleet provoked an angrier reaction from the manager. Then he said he wanted to substitute all his outfield players at half-time but, on this occasion, one player, Osborne, did escape his wrath.

“Junior Osborne was the one player to come out of the game with a lot of credit,” said Waddock. “I thought he played extremely well.”

Osborne had the odd nervy moment but kept Myles Weston, County’s expected danger man, quiet. Going forward, Osborne made two exquisite passes with the outside of his right foot in the first half, setting up presentable chances for John Grant and Louie Soares.

As early as the second minute Grant had sliced a fine chance wide after excellent work from Kirk Hudson, who started the game superbly, before fading. Sixty seconds later, Butcher missed an even better chance, heading wide.

As the teams exchanged opportunities on the pitch, the fans swapped chants in honour of Sirrel, who played and coached at Aldershot in the 1950s, off it. County’s fans warmly applauded the Aldershot faithful.

The action below the fans became more tepid the longer the half went on. Russell Hoult saved well from Soares and soon later Bull pounced on Jamie Forrester’s tame effort. Aldershot were playing the better football but there were few clear-cut chances, although Hoult had to save well from Grant’s snap-shot.

Marvin Morgan was as ineffective as he was against Gillingham and while he was unlucky to be booked, he needs to find a way whereby his big, awkward frame causes the opposition problems, rather than gifts them a succession of free-kicks.

Waddock’s men were soon into their stride after the break. Hudson, Ben Harding, Grant and Soares counter-attacked and forced a corner, from which Charles scored, stooping to head in Davies’ delivery, via the crossbar.

Within a minute it could have been two. Grant’s cross found Harding’s favoured left foot but he shot embarrassingly back towards Grant. When Harding plays well, Aldershot tick, but he is struggling to find his best form.

County took advantage and, when Osborne fouled Weston, Johnson headed in Hamshaw’s free-kick. The Shots were rattled. Forrester was unlucky to have a sublime goal ruled out for offside and Weston missed a good chance, before forcing a fine save from Bull.

Aldershot had their moments, however. Grant slipped when well placed in the area, Soares’ deflected shot was saved on the line by Hoult, substitute Rob Elvins was unlucky to plant a header just over and Chris Blackburn was adamant that his far post knock-back was blocked by a County hand in the area.

All in all, a point apiece looked like being the right result and that Aldershot would arrest their run of away defeats.

Instead, County pounced on The Shots’ naivety, with Butcher’s head providing the killer blow. So, while County’s club record run of six consective draws was ended, Aldershot’s away blues continue.

But while Waddock was rightly furious with his side’s finish to the game, perhaps Saturday was just not meant to be for Aldershot.

After all, the lengthy second half injury-time in which Butcher scored was largely due to an earlier unfortunate clash of heads between two Aldershot players: Danny Hylton and Hudson.

No, Saturday was not Aldershot’s day. It was Jimmy Sirrel’s. And, given the way Butcher’s header looped over Bull, County fans no doubt left Meadow Lane convinced that Sirrel himself had blown the ball home.

Alas for Aldershot’s players, Waddock took a less sentimental view of the outcome.

Aldershot Town: Bull, Osborne, Howell, Blackburn, Charles, Harding, Soares, Davies, Grant (Elvins 76), Morgan (Hylton 60), Hudson (Chalmers 81). Not used: Jaimez-Ruiz, Donnelly.

For more, including further comments from Waddock and the player ratings, see Tuesday's Aldershot Mail.