ALDERSHOT TN 1,
PORT VALE 0
AFTER six games without a win, Aldershot gave their fans something to smile about with a deserved three points against mid-table rivals Port Vale on Tuesday.
A run of seven successive away defeats tells its own story, but Aldershot are unbeaten at the EBB Stadium and an early goal from Louie Soares, their liveliest player, extended their proud home record.
Aldershot were superb in the first half-hour and although they went off the boil somewhat in driving snow after half-time, they allowed Port Vale precious few openings until the last 10 minutes when the potteries side strung together their best attacks of the match.
Gary Waddock went in for some squad rotation after last week's 5-1 hammering at Chesterfield. "We are playing against better quality players who punish you at every opportunity," he pointed out in his programme notes.
His changed side played better than the 3-1 scoreline suggested at Rochdale on Saturday and the improvement continued in this game, with Rhys Day back to his solid best in defence and youngsters Danny Hylton and Kirk Hudson stretching Port Vale with their pace.
Aldershot, in the modern parlance, were up for it, as Scott Davies showed after six minutes with a scorching angled shot that smacked against the crossbar.
Concentrating their attacks on the right, Shots forced the visitors into desperate defence. Soares, linking nicely with Hylton, saw a dangerous cross scrambled away from the goalmouth.
Port Vale were allowing Soares too much space and paid a heavy price in the 14th minute when the midfielder picked up a cross from Junior Osborne and ran into a central position, 22 yards out, before drilling a fierce left-foot ground shot just inside the right-hand post.
Aldershot had set such a hot pace that, despite the bitter cold, they were demanding drink bottles at the first opportunity.
Port Vale had offered nothing in attack, but a couple of errors almost let them back into the game.
Goalkeeper Nikki Bull was robbed by Marc Richards and the striker shot into the side-netting from a sharp angle when the better option would have been to square the ball.
Then a slack bit of work by Hudson led to a swift Vale counter-attack and Luke Rodgers' drilled shot looked destined for the back of the net, only for Davies to make a brilliant block on the goal-line.
Right on half-time, the persevering John Grant was pulled back by Paul Edwards on the corner of the box, referee David Phillips judging it to be a free-kick rather than a penalty. Davies placed his free-kick to perfection, but Grant, allowed a free header, merely brushed the ball with his forehead.
The killer second goal continued to elude Aldershot in the second half. Grant's work-rate could not be faulted, but his old lethal touch was again missing. An inch-perfect pass from Hudson resulted in an embarrassing miss when Grant 'shinned' the ball high over the bar.
The striker almost made amends by harrying keeper Joe Anyon into a mistake outside his area, but Hylton's snap long-range shot failed to find the empty goal.
Port Vale made three substitutions, while Waddock – renowned for his tactical changes – used none, seemingly confident that his dominant side would eventually put the game to bed.
It did not happen. Soares brought a fine save from Anyon and was later a foot wide with a 30-yard belter, while Ben Harding's deflected shot almost dipped under the bar, but Port Vale were gathering themselves for a strong finish and Aldershot, struggling in the wintry conditions, had some late defending to do.
Fortunately for the Shots, the outstanding Anthony Charles – supposedly left-back, but everywhere in defence – repeatedly played them out of trouble as Port Vale enjoyed their best spell.
Even so, Bull was forced into a diving parry to keep out Ross Davidson's raking shot and Aldershot had several other anxious moments before completing a much-needed win.
"We've been after a clean sheet for some weeks," said a relieved Waddock. "This was more like us in terms of tempo – closing down and pressurising.
"It was a bit tense towards the end, but we got through it," said the manager who was delighted with a good turn-out of fans on a freezing night.
Aldershot: Bull, Osborne, Charles, Day, Blackburn, Soares, Harding, Davies, Hylton, Grant, Hudson. Subs (not used): Chalmers, Morgan, Elvins, Donnelly, Newman.
Port Vale: Anyon, Griffith, Prosser, Collins, Paul Edwards, Dodds, Richman (Davidson 66), Howland, McCrory (Lawrie 80), Richards (Glover 79), Rodgers. Subs (not used): Martin, McCombe.
Attendance: 3,039.
Referee: David Phillips (W Sussex).
Martin Foyle, former long-serving Port Vale player and manager, and one of the most elegant players to turn out for Aldershot (1984-87), was guest of honour on the night and was introduced to the crowd of 3,039 at half-time.
Aldershot have been drawn at home to league rivals Rotherham in the first round proper of the FA Cup, the match to be played on Saturday, November 8.