Coca-Cola League Two

Aldershot Town 1 Brentford 1

AFTER conceding seven goals in two games, the case for Aldershot’s defence was, at last, almost watertight against high-flying Brentford.

But a controversial second half penalty — the second spot-kick of the game — robbed The Shots of the clean sheet and three points they possibly deserved, on chances created.

Nikki Bull scarcely had a shot to save apart from Glenn Poole’s 57th-minute penalty, awarded against Dean Howell for a handball, when he and Marvin Williams tussled for a loose ball in the area.

It was definitely a handball by Howell — and intentional too — but Williams appeared to barge over Howell in the lead-up to the incident, so Aldershot can count themselves unfortunate.

Poole’s confident left-foot finish from the spot did the rest, cancelling out an equally assured penalty from Scott Davies in the 14th minute, after a foul by Brentford ‘keeper Ben Hamer on the excellent Ricky Newman.

That Gary Waddock was disappointed at taking just a point against Brentford shows have far The Shots have come under his tenure.

Brentford arrived third in the table, unbeaten since the opening day and with a miserly defence and tidy attack.

“We were really solid and compact,” said Waddock. “It was a good game between two good sides.

“But Nikki Bull has not had a shot to save. It’s disappointing not to have won.”

That Aldershot failed to win was as much down to poor finishing as the penalty.

In what was a cagey game, which failed to live up to its derby billing of two sides with excellent records — The Shots’ at home and The Bees’ home and away — Aldershot had few chances. But they had more than Brentford.

Louie Soares had already missed a glorious opportunity to put Aldershot ahead before Davies’ penalty and Davies, Junior Osborne and Ben Harding all missed presentable opportunities before the break.

While Brentford were impressive either side of half-time, when they confidently dominated possession, they shut up shop after they had equalised and appeared happy with a point.

With a little more luck and composure, Aldershot would have robbed them of even that, but Anthony Charles failed to cap an excellent display with a headed goal from close range, Kirk Hudson was denied a possible third penalty of the game and Junior Mendes had an injury-time shot hacked off the line by Alan Bennett.

Still, the point keeps Aldershot in tenth position in the League Two table, with close to a quarter of the season gone.

They are just three points off the play-off spots and as many as six of the nine teams above them have come to The Rec this season and failed to win. The unbeaten league run at home stretches all the way back to January.
 
With so many injuries in his squad, especially to defenders, Waddock had few options at the back, had he wished to make changes in reaction to the recent glut of goals.

Osborne was fit again, however, to come in at right back, meaning Soares could start in his favoured position on the right of midfield.

Waddock had said before the match that he was looking for more leadership and experience, so it was no surprise that he turned to 38-year-old Newman, against his old club.

But what was unexpected was that Waddock drafted Newman into the holding role in midfield, with Lewis Chalmers dropping to the bench.

Newman has played almost exclusively as a centre back this year but Waddock’s decision proved a masterstroke as Newman, sitting in front of the back four, dove-tailed superbly with Davies in central midfield.

Newman’s passing was excellent and, as ever, he was hard in the tackle and quite prepared, not always entirely legally, to ruffle the opposition’s feathers. Or, in this case, clip the wings of The Bees.

Newman even broke forward for Aldershot’s goal. Seconds after Soares had dragged a shot wildly wide when clean through on goal from Davies’ pass, Davies lofted another superb ball, deep into the area.

Newman and Hamer, who had injudiciously run from goal, converged on the ball and the Aldershot man used all his experience to get the first touch and topple over the ‘keeper’s challenge. Davies showed Soares how to finish from the spot.

“Ricky Newman gave an extremely good performance,” said Waddock afterwards. “He got the goal for us by breaking forward. But he mostly sat in the middle and gave us a solid middle. We were very solid at the back today too. It is a platform to build on.”

Davies and Newman continued to dominate the midfield and it was a surprise when Waddock chose to move Davies out wide and bring Harding back into the middle, late in the first half.

“Brentford changed their formation during the course of the game and we wanted to mix it up as well,” explained Waddock.

But Harding continues to search for his best form and too many passes are going astray.

Another player short of confidence, John Grant, was not fit to make the bench, due to a minor hamstring problem, and Marvin Morgan was sent home ill, which meant Danny Hylton and Rob Elvins started again up front.

Elvins was neat and won plenty in the air but it was Hylton’s endeavour that caused Brentford more problems, until his impishness got the better of him in the second half and he was substituted before he could get himself sent off.

Brentford had begun that second half on the back of  dominating late first half possession and they had further impetus from the introduction of Nathan Elder and a change of formation.

Elder was forceful up front and Adam Newton and Marvin Williams formed a right-sided axis that caused Howell increasing problems.

Not that Brentford were carving out clear-cut chances, until the referee’s whistle intervened just before the hour.

Williams easily outpaced Howell but appeared to foul the Aldershot man as they converged on the ball. Referee Hooper did not agree and, as the two players stumbled over each other in the area, Howell bizarrely handled the ball, jumping down on the ball with an outstretched arm.

Poole made no mistake from the spot.

“My first reaction was that it was a foul outside the box and we should have had a free-kick,” said Waddock.

Brentford did not look like scoring after that, even if both Howell and Osborne endured the odd panicky moment.

Instead, The Shots pushed forward for the winner, in true Waddock style. Elvins was inches away from tapping in Blackburn’s cross shot and, later, Charles headed a superb chance just wide before Mendes, on for Hylton, had his low shot blocked in front of the line.

A draw probably was, however, just about fair. Aldershot were never at their fluent best and too many chances had gone begging.

Still, the marked improvement in the defence bodes well for the future.

Aldershot Town: Bull, Osborne, Howell, Blackburn, Charles, Newman (Chalmers 83), Soares, Davies (Hudson 84), Elvins, Hylton (Mendes 71), Harding. Subs not used: Donnelly, Jaimez-Ruiz.

For more on the match, including further comments from Gary Waddock, see Tuesday's Aldershot Mail.