Aldershot Town 4 Stevenage Borough 0

Last updated : 12 September 2006 By Footymad Previewer
The Shots produced a scintillating display at the Recreation Ground to gun down a shockingly poor Stevenage Borough.

The 4-0 scoreline flattered Boro and it could have been worse but for the heroics of Alan Julian and the mercy of the woodwork.

The contest started at a frenetic pace, that could have seen Aldershot score three goals inside the opening five minutes.

In the second minute, Ryan Williams delivered a dangerous corner. Dave Winfield, starting his first game for the injured Andy Edwards, beat the Boro defence to the near post, his glanced header flying across the face of the goal.

Had he used power the former Shots trainee could have scored his first goal for the club.

Moments later Williams - who terrorised the Boro defence all evening - had a strong penalty shout turned down.

The much improved Ben Harding released Wiliams down the left, he skipped past the flaccid Stevenage defence and crossed from the byline.

Jason Goodliffe appeared to handle the ball but referee Hopkins waved play on. The ball fell to Harding eight yards out, he fired first time against the crossbar, he tried to control the rebound but headed over the bar.

In the fifth minute, Louis Soares released Grant through the middle, he struck first time but hit the far post with Julian well beaten, Goodliffe reacted well to the rebound and cleared the danger.

The Shots missed a host of chances and could have been punished by Stevenage's only chance of the first half.

Against the run of play, the ball fell to striker George Boyd 25 yards out in the corner of the penalty box, unchallenged he drove against the underside of the bar and fortunately for Aldershot it bounced clear of the goal line.

This was however a brief pause in the Aldershot barrage, they appeared to have got the breakthrough in the 33rd minute.

Darren Barnard, played an excellent throughball to the feet of John Grant inside the area, Goodliffe had no answer to his control and hacked him down.

From the spot Julian produced an excellent double save. Barnard drove low into the left corner but was repelled, the former Welsh international struck cleanly from the rebound only to be denied again, John Nutter cleared brilliantly from underneath his own bar.

Aldershot remained patient and solid despite a makeshift defence of Marcus Gayle and Winfield, after Rhys Day had to leave the field.

The Shots class eventually told in the 44th minute Santos Gaia failed to clear his line, Joel Grant picked up the ball on the right touchline, he cut inside and fired from the edge of the area, the ball clipped the heels of Williams as it went into the net leaving Julian stranded.

The Shots then added a deserved second in injury time. Soares skipped the reckless challenge from Nutter and crossed to the unmarked John Grant. The former Halifax striker buried his header into the bottom corner from eight yards.

Mark Stimson was clearly looking for an aggressive response the second half. However, he did not expect the former Shot Adam Miller to get himself sent off with a reckless elbow on Ryan Scott.

Scott let his football do the talking crashing the ball on to the bar in the 51st minute.

Soares then provided the final nail in the coffin in the 75th minute. The former Barnet player picked up possession 35 yards from goal, he beat three defenders almost at will and drove home into the far corner from inside the box.

He repeated the trick five minutes later and squared the ball for Joel Grant, he slotted the ball into the bottom corner on his left foot to ensure Stevenage received a well deserved thrashing.