Coca-Cola League Two

Chester City 0 Aldershot Town 1

Despite Aldershot bossing this border battle for most of the afternoon, a stalemate looked the likely outcome as the cold closed in on Chester’s desolate Deva Stadium.

A draw, on the back of seven straight league defeats on the road would have been no disaster for The Shots but one last raid into Wales — while the main stand at the Deva is in England, the pitch is over the border — finally broke Chester’s resistance and Marvin Morgan stole the spoils.

Now, with those three points as bounty, extending the recent good run to three wins and clean sheets on the bounce, including two away from home in four days, The Shots are on the up.

So much so that they are 11th in League Two, just four points off a play-offs spot.

Not that manager Gary Waddock is too interested in tables at this time of year. Wait until the spring is his philosophy. “It’s nice to be back in the top half of the table,” said Waddock. “But it’s about where we end at the end of the season that is important.”

Still, with winter around the corner, Waddock was content at a win that had nothing of the beauty of the FA Cup triumph at Rotherham four days before but was probably the more satisfying of the two.

“We’ve shown the two sides of us this week,” said Waddock. “Rotherham was a very good performance but while today was a scrappy win we have stood up to the challenge and come away with the result.” And put the league away bugbear to bed.

Actually, while The Shots did not reach the heights of Rotherham, this was still a good performance. They were disciplined at the back, passed the ball tidily in midfield and were lively in attack, especially in the first half.

That they hit the woodwork twice in that half, through John Grant and Louie Soares and that Grant had a header disallowed for offside in the second half was enough evidence that they deserved victory over a Chester side who worked hard for their new manager, Mark Wright, but scarcely tested Nikki Bull all game.

What was scrappy, however, was the decisive goal. It was more bagatelle than football, with Morgan the pinball wizard, poking the ball home on 83 minutes, after the ball had ricocheted off post and defender, after first Morgan and then Grant had latched onto Scott Davies’ pass.

It was a deserved goal for ‘Marvellous Marvin’, his sixth of the season, after a tireless display of skill, pace and strength that had stretched Chester all game and, at times, run them ragged in the second half.

“Goals give you confidence,” said Morgan afterwards. “All of the strikers at the club know that you must take your chance in the starting line-up when you get it. But today I have to say that the defender helped me out a little, his clearance hit me and I scrambled the ball in.” But Morgan had earned his luck.

Waddock was relieved that his side had finally kept a clean sheet away from home and stayed patient long enough to win a rare piece of away fortune.

“Today was frustrating at times,” said Waddock. “You hit the woodwork twice and have a goal disallowed and you can’t help but think that it is going to be one of those away days when you don’t get anything.

“But we stuck at it, remained in control and passed the ball well. We looked solid all game.”

The clean sheet was also achieved without the services of captain Rhys Day for more than half the game. Day has been outstanding since returning to the team after a hernia operation a month ago and it is no coincidence that the defensive record has improved with his comeback.
 
Chris Blackburn’s move to right back, the return of Anthony Straker on the left and Anthony Charles’ excellent season have helped too, of course, but that defence had to be re-jigged when Day limped off with a hamstring problem just before the break.

It was to Blackburn’s credit that he slotted easily back into the middle against his former club, with Soares yet again filling in at right back and recent signing Andy Sandell enjoying a promising game further forward, from the bench.

Before that, Aldershot had had plenty of chances to take a first half lead.

Morgan blasted wide after Day’s superb long pass had been laid off by Davies. Blackburn headed a Davies free-kick straight at John Danby and Soares also tested the ‘keeper.

Straker buzzed forward from the back and had a stinging shot blocked by the excellent Shaun Kelly but Chester could get nowhere near Grant’s excellent  turn and shot from the edge of the area. Unfortunately for the Aldershot man, it crashed against the top of the crossbar.

Chester had their moments but were let down by a poor final pass and wild shooting. At the other end Soares rolled a shot against the post, after a fine passing move involving Davies and Morgan.
 
So, at half-time, Aldershot found themselves in a position away from home from where they have failed so often this season, notably at Macclesfield and Morecambe: held to 0-0, despite dominating the play, they have capitulated after the break.

But on this occasion The Shots got it right, just, despite a far better second half showing from Wright’s team.

Both sides should have scored early in the second period. Kevin Roberts headed inexplicably wide from a corner and then Grant, clear through running onto Blackburn’s pass, took too long and was denied by a storming tackle by Kelly.

While Ryan Lowe and Jay Harris both wasted good opportunities, failing to test Bull, Aldershot remained the team in the ascendancy.

Too often, however, the final decision was wrong and the afternoon looked set to be one of frustration, especially for Morgan, who had led the line superbly.

There was more anguish when, after Morgan was hauled down outside the area, Grant planted a firm header home from Davies’ 78th-minute free-kick — but the goal was ruled out. Charles, behind Grant, was clearly offside but the decision against Grant was, perhaps, harsh.

Waddock, as he so often does, resisted the temptation to introduce fresh legs from the bench and he was rewarded with his faith. Davies made the telling pass and Morgan’s persistence paid off, after an almighty scramble.

Both sides had late chances, with Laurence Wilson blasting over and Danby denying Kirk Hudson, who had a quiet game.

Bull, who had scarcely handled the ball all afternoon, had to make two telling interventions in injury-time, making one superb catch and then an ever better punch.

Overall, Waddock was delighted to break the run of away league defeats but even more happy with the manner of victory. This was a classic 1-0 win away from home, which all successful Football League campaigns must feature.

“Playing in this league is a learning curve for the players and they have taken on board the things Martin Kuhl and I have told them,” said Waddock.

“We passed the ball well today and looked comfortable all game. But they were decent in the second half and had a go — it’s a good away league win.”

Away league win: three words that are music to the ears of Aldershot’s long-suffering travelling support.

Aldershot: Bull, Blackburn, Straker, Day (Sandell 42), Charles, Davies, Hudson, Harding, Grant, Morgan, Soares. Not used: Jaimez-Ruiz, Chalmers, Elvins, Newman.

For more, see Tuesday's Aldershot Mail.