Stevenage Borough 0 Aldershot 1

Last updated : 16 December 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Aldershot moved up to fourth place in the Nationwide Conference table with a hard-earned, if unspectacular victory at Stevenage.

In a match which was marred by over fussy officiating from referee Green there were no less than six yellow cards in the first half which served to break up the play and thwart any pattern from emerging.

Aldershot however did settle the better of the two sides and came closest in the early exchanges when Jason Chewins fired a shot just over the bar with three minutes gone.

For all their bright play Aldershot saw their attacking prowess peter out and it was Stevenage who began to carve out more chances.

Rocky Baptiste fired an effort wide on 21 minutes and Anthony Elding came closest eight minutes from half time, when he fired an effort across the face of Nikki Bull's goal, only to see the strike cannon back off the outside of the far post.

After a goalless first half the scoreline was suddenly shattered just two minutes into the second period when Bradley Thomas scored with ridiculous ease from a corner.

It was Chewins who curled in a left-footed effort which none of the Stevenage defenders attacked and that left Thomas to net from almost on the goal-line.

It was a gift of a goal and it proved to be one of just two efforts on target in the entire second half for Aldershot.

Although the visitors failed to run riot they coped easily with a Stevenage attack which came closest to an equaliser on the hour mark, when Baptiste saw a curling effort cannon back off the top of the bar.

Adam Miller came close to a second for the Shots with ten minutes left when he saw a strike hit bar and post.

Then Stevenage almost snatched a late leveller when substitute Jon Brady saw an injury-time free-kick take a wicked deflection and spin just over the bar onto the roof of the net.