Today was a very special day for me! I was sat in the press box for today's game against Dagenham and Redbridge. I got to meet key members of the press as well as Shots players Ben Herd and Anthony Straker which was brilliant! A HUGE thanks to Total Soccer Magazine and Graham Brookland for such a brilliant day!
Jordon Roberts was making his debut for the Shots and they played in a 4-4-1-1 formation with Hylton playing in the hole and Risser up front. Dagenham took control at the beginning of the game and if it wasn't for a key tackle from Ben Herd in the box Dagenham would surely have gone one up. Played then switched to the other end as Roberts nearly scored on his debut after Danny Hylton held the ball up well. In the 8th minute Mekki had a fierce volley blocked in the area and shortly after that Roberts again came close again from a free kick after Hylton had been bundled over.
Aldershot's tactic today was to take short corners and I have to say unfortunately that they didnt pay off. The ball never reached the box that often and they didnt look dangerous. The game all went a bit quite after that until the 27th minute when Aldershot really should have scored. Danny Hylton again, who I felt played much better today than in recent weeks, held the ball up well and played in Risser but the Namibian failed to get any kind of contact on the ball and then chance went begging. Jordon Roberts continued to impress up and down the wing in the first half and he, like Adam Mekki, definitely looks like one for the future! In the 39th minute it was Adam Mekki who found Ben Herd out wide. Ben bombed forward from right back and crossed into the box and Vincenti headed just over. The score remained 0-0 for the rest of the first half.
In the second half it was Dagenham's turn to dominate. Right from the whistle they attacked and in the 51st minute it took a brilliant save from Jamie Young to keep the score at 0-0. Then in the 57th minute Aldershot somehow failed to convert. Ben Herd had whipped in a free kick and in a goal line scramble Risser, Vincenti and Hylton all had stabs at the ball before Risser ultimately smashed over the bar. Then in the 59th minute Dagenham got what they deserved. The marking from Aldershot was poor at the corner and Doe had a free header which he took well. 1-0 Dagenham. Th goal was deserved. Dagenham had had a good spell but he should not have been allowed to have a free header. In the 66th minute Dean Holdsworth made 2 changes. Guy Madjo, who I was surprised didn't start, and youngster Reece Connoly came on for Wilko Risser and Jordon Roberts who had made a good impression. Madjo was immediately involved in the game, his flicked header arrived at Danny Hylton's feet but his cross was poor. In the 75th minute Hylton made way for Mark Mosesly and this was to be a key substitution! In the 84th minute Vincenti missed a sitter. Reece Connoly did really well down the right hand side and put a fantastic ball acrosss the box but the sliding Vincenti could only shoot straight at the keeper, resulting in a corner instead of a goal. Then the Shots finnaly scored. It look as though the chance had gone after the corner was headed away but Mosesly did really well. He beat at least 2 men before finding Mekki out wide who crossed superbly for Troy Brown to head home. The game finished 1-1 and I'm sure both sides were satisfied with a point.
Injury News:
The Shots squad is now down to the bare minimum after loan players were recalled by their clubs and injuries. Alex Rodman and Michael Rankine are both out with long term injuries and Ross Worner will not be back in goal until next season. Josh Payne is also currently sidelined with an injury and Troy Brown limped off at the end of todays match, a worrying sign for the shots.
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