ALDERSHOT TOWN 4 ROCHDALE 2

A wonderful six goal thriller at The EBB and finally, a much needed home win for The Shots!

An early Dani Lopez strike, was soon cancelled out by the visitors. Howver, further goals from Peter Vincenti, Danny Rose and Craig Reid saw Shots to a victory they throughly deserved and three precious points which lifted them to the dizzy heights of 21st place in League Two. That's two places and three points above the two relegation spots.   

With Sonny Bradley injured, Shots had to make a change to their back line for this vital League Two match. Michael Hector joined Troy Brown in the centre of defence leaving a space in midfield that Aaron Morris, returning from illness, was delighted to take up. Shots youth player Bobby Webbe, found himself promoted to the first team match day squad for the first time, as defensive cover.  

Shots came into this game without a home win in League Two since mid September. Rochdale came into it on the back of three consecutive defeats. Surely something had to give?

After a fairly quiet opening 7 minutes, Shots went ahead, Dani Lopez, scoring his fourth goal in five games, with a neat flicked header from 8 yards, after timing his run well to get on the end of a Danny Rose free kick.

Finally, Shots had got themselves an early lead in a home match, but unfortunately the home faithful's joy was short lived, as the visitors went on to level just four minutes later. A simple enough move - Dele Adebola laying the ball off to Ashley Grimes - no stranger to scoring at the EBB - and the Rochdale No.11 finished with conviction, neat and low into the far corner past Young's despairing dive. 1-1

OXFORD UNITED 1  ALDERSHOT TOWN 1

It's been rare this season for Shots manager Dean Holdsworth to have a selection headache, but coming into this vital League Two relegation clash, he had one or two difficult decisions to make. One of them was ultimately made for him, when in form Aaron Morris fell ill, the return of Danny Rose to the centre of midfield became a formality. Up front, he chose to start with the prolific Dani Lopez, with a goal in each of his three starts to date. This allowed him the luxury of having top scorer Craig Reid to call upon from the bench.

Shots began well, forcing a corner within a minute of kick off, following some neat interplay between Vincenti, Lopez and Cadogan. Oxford's first effort came in the tenth minute, a close range Alfie Potter shot, which cannoned off Tonkin and behind. Goal kick given though - rather oddly. Tonkin received a yellow card soon after, for a miss-timed lunge on Potter.  

Vincenti, Lopez and Cadogan all had efforts on goal in a five minute spell in which Shots were rampant. However, the first was blocked, the second deflected for a corner and the third just wide. Hylton was bundled over in the area - but only a corner was given.

FA CUP 2nd Round: FLEETWOOD TOWN 2 ALDERSHOT TOWN 3

Two Danny Hylton strikes, either side of a screamer from Peter Vincenti, saw Shots through to the 3rd round of the FA Cup, with a 3-2 victory up in Lancashire.

With Dani Lopez cup-tied and Danny Rose ineligable, Shots manager Dean Holdsworth was limited as to his options when selecting his starting line-up for this match. However, with Craig Reid passing a fitness test on Friday, Dean Holdsworth chose to start him and also brought Reading loanee Michael Hector in to make his Shots debut in midfield alongside Aaron Morris.

The hardy Shots faithful travelled some six hours, more in hope than expectation, knowing though that it's often this type of game that sees their side produce the kind of performance so rarely seen at The EBB Stadium.

Shots began well, Morris and Brown seeing early efforts denied, but on ten minutes, from the second of two free kicks in two minutes, the home side took the lead, Junior Brown tucking away from close range, after Alan Goodhall's left foot delivery was not dealt with.

BURTON ALBION 0 ALDERSHOT TOWN 1

Aldershot Town returned from Burton with three precious points thanks to a solid performance from start to finish against Albion, who were in the play off places at start of play. A fourth minute strike by Stevenage loanee Dani Lopez was ultimately the difference between the two sides. 

Shots manager Dean Holdsworth was afforded the rare priveledge of being able to name a totally unchanged starting line up and subs bench for this match - another vital one in Shots attempts to claw their way out of the League Two relegation places.

Shots made a lively start and created a good chance in the opening couple of minutes. Bradley headed a long Ben Herd free-kick into the path of Danny Rose, but the Fleetwood loanee's well struck effort was always heading just wide.

The 100 or so Shots fans did not have to wait too long to see their side go ahead though as just two minutes later, Dani Lopez grabbed his second goal in two starts, finishing neatly from 15 yards, following a flick on by Danny Hylton. 1-0 Shots.

AFC WIMBLEDON 1  ALDERSHOT TOWN 1

A 78th minute equaliser by Stacy Long cruelly denied Shots all three points, from a game they thoroughly deserved to win. Dani Lopez had put Shots ahead on the stroke of half time with his first goal in the English Football League.

Shots came into this game desperate for a change of fortunes and those crucial three points. Manager Dean Holdsworth, still without top scorer Craig Reid, elected to give a full debut to Stevenage loanee Dani Lopez. He also decided to recall Anthony Tonkin following suspension. Scott Donnelly and Josh Payne made way.

It was Shots who had the first effort of the match - Aaron Morris letting fly from 25 yards. His effort was deflected behind for a corner. Soon after, a four man move resulted in a second corner for Shots. This time, Danny Hylton got on the end of it, but his headed attempt from Keiran Cadogan's cross went well over the bar.

Cadogan and Peter Vincenti were both heavily involved early on, the two combining well to create a third chance for Shots in the 12th minute. On this occasion, Vincenti dived to meet Cadogan's first time cross with his head, but under pressure from a Wombles defender, it sailed wide.

ALDERSHOT TOWN 0 BRADFORD CITY 2

Two first half goals were enough for Bradford City to secure their first victory in five attempts at the EBB Stadium as a sorry looking Shots side succumbed to yet another goalless home defeat.

With top scorer Craig Reid now out injured for at least a month, Shots manager Dean Holdsworth turned yet again to the loan market, securing the services of Stevenage's Dani Lopez and Southampton's Alberto Seidi in time for them to take their place on the bench for this vital League Two encounter. Scott Donnelly replaced Reid in the starting line-up and linked the midfield with Danny Hylton, Shots most advanced player, whilst Aaron Morris deputised for Tonkin at left back.     

Shots home record has been poor for some time now, but they came into this game with an excellent record against opponents Bradford City, winning all four previous encounters at the Rec/EBB since Shots returned to the Football League.

There were few chances of note in the opening fifteen minutes. Bradford had a couple of hopeful efforts, whilst at the High Street End, Donnelly and Cadogan linked well at times, without an end product. On the quarter hour, Bradford had the best chance to take the lead as Nahki Wells found himself unmarked and Young saved his point blank header, unaware that the flag had already gone up for offside.

Holdsworth's charges plugged away in search of reward, but on 28 minutes, they suffered a huge blow as they gifted a goal to their northern opponents. Sonny Bradley was the unlucky player on this occasion, woefully underhitting an attempted back pass, which Wells nipped gratefully onto, before slotting comfortably past Young in the Shots goal. 0-1