ALDERSHOT TN 1, TORQUAY UTD 0

SCOTT Rendell’s header took Aldershot Town past an obdurate Torquay United into the first round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

The Shots had several chances to win the game before Rendell’s clinical finish from Adam McDonnell’s superb cross, but there was little else to commend a game which will not live long in the memory.

United themselves brought a couple of strong saves from Jake Cole, but chances at both ends were scarce and, although he wasn’t happy with the overall performance, manager Gary Waddock admitted: “We needed the win. We got the clean sheet and the return of Bernard Mensah gave everybody a boost, so it was a good day all round.

“We had a chat at half-time,” he remarked rather menacingly after identifying the need for a greater tempo in his team’s play, “and there was a marked improvement in the second half. Torquay made it hard for us, they’re a good side, but we had other opportunities that we could have done better with.”

Will Evans glanced a header wide and then saw a speculative 25-yard shot deflected past the post, but it was the defender’s sliced clearance gave Torquay the best opening of the first 25 minutes. Josh McQuoid’s pull-back invited Damon Lathrope to fire in a shot which Cole parried well at his near post.

In contrast, the otherwise impressive McDonnell shot wildly over the United crossbar and Rendell’s opportunist effort on the turn was easy for French keeper Vincent Dorel.

It was only when Jim Kellermann was chopped down by Josh Gowling, on 53 minutes, that Aldershot displayed real attacking threat.

From the ensuing free-kick, James Rowe’s deft delivery fell perfectly at the feet of Evans whose half-volley ricocheted off the post. Then, foretelling what was to come, McDonnell crossed towards Rendell for a header which looped over the bar.

Cole made his second fine save of the afternoon as Luke Young’s 22-yard free-kick arrowed around the wall towards the bottom corner and, soon after, Jamie Reid should have at least got his close-range header on target.

That, though, was the sum total of Torquay’s goal threat and Aldershot belatedly found their range at the perfect time. Kellermann’s cross was inches away from reaching Rendell and, from another McDonnell cross, the striker headed over from point-blank range

The stars finally aligned on 79 minutes. Mensah, playing his first game of the season following injury, sent McDonnell racing down the left and his deep cross allowed Rendell to direct a header back across goal and in at the far post.

The Gulls had no riposte and, ultimately, Aldershot progressed without ever needing to find their best form.

Aldershot: Cole; Alexander, Evans, Reynolds, Fowler (Mensah 50); Kellermann, Oyeleke; Fenelon, Rowe (McClure 65), McDonnell; Rendell. Subs (not used): de Havilland, Okojie, Smith. Booked: Evans, Reynolds.

Torquay: Dorel; Higgins, Gowling, McGinty, Davis; Evans; Reid, Lathrope (Efete 83), Young, McQuoid (Myrie-Williams 77); Murphy (Keating 69). Subs (not used): Gray, Osborn. Booked: McQuoid, Gowling, Lathrope.

Referee: Chris O’Donnell.

Attendance: 1,583 (156 away).

• Tranmere Rovers visit the EBB Stadium this Saturday. On Tuesday, Aldershot host fourth-placed Sutton United.