Aldreshot Win League Cup (non league Conference)

Symon · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:49 pm

Aldershot are the non league team i support and have done since before they went bust and started again.

Shots spot on to take Setanta Shield
by Tom Adams, 03 April 2008

Shots spot on to take Setanta Shield

Aldershot claimed the first part of their non-league double when defeating Rushden & Diamonds on penalties in a thrilling Setanta Shield final at The Recreation Ground.
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* Football
* Aldershot
* Rushden & D'monds
* Blue Square Premier

Gary Waddock’s side are easing towards the Blue Square Premier title and ensured this will really be a season to remember when claiming cup silverware after the most dramatic of encounters on home turf that ended 3-3 after extra time and then saw keeper Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz emerge as the hero when saving Chris Hope’s crucial penalty.

Junior Mendez put Aldershot in front after 71 minutes when bundling the ball home from close range but Andy Burgess replied within two minutes. Michael Rankine then should have won it for Rushden but headed wide in the dying seconds to set up a non-stop period of extra time.

Aldershot required just five minutes to take a 2-1 lead through Kirk Hudson and after Burgess saw a penalty saved, Scott Donnelly gave Gary Waddock’s men a seemingly unassailable two-goal lead.

Burgess was handed another chance to score from 12 yards and did not disappoint , setting up a nervy conclusion that saw Rankine nod the grounded ball over the line from around ten inches out to ensure the game was settled on penalties.

Both sides enjoyed good chances in an engaging first half and it was Rushden – a full 41 points behind their opponents in the Blue Square Premier – who threatened first when Jon Challinor fired over the bar after just seven minutes.

The same player should have headed Rushden into an early lead just eight minutes later but as he leapt unmarked to meet an Burgess cross from the right, his header was directed just off target to the palpable relief of Aldershot.

Waddock’s side are not runaway leaders of the division for nothing though and could have scored themselves after 13 minutes when Lewis Chalmers produced a stinging half-volley from outside the box that Dale Roberts did well to palm over the bar.

Donnelly also went close for The Shots when bending a first-time shot narrowly wide and Hudson then hooked an acrobatic effort at goal.

However, Aldershot did suffer disappointment before the half was out as Dave Winfield was substituted due to suspected ligament damage in a real blow for the promotion-chasing club.

The chances continued to flow for The Shots after the break and Donnelly saw a shot from a tight angle well saved by Roberts before Mendez dragged an effort just wide after a lovely flicked pass from Joel Grant.

Rushden never looked overawed though and Rankine gave the favourites a real scare on 57 minutes when finding the outside of Venezuelan keeper Jaimez-Ruiz’s far post with a low effort.

The game exploded into life on 71 minutes when Aldershot took the lead, with Mendez bundling home Kirk Hudson’s cross despite the close attentions of Rushden’s Dean Howell.

Their supremacy was to last less than two minutes though as The Shots failed to deal with a long throw, allowing Burgess to poke his shot past Ruiz and claim a rapid reply.

A nervy conclusion to normal time saw Rankine miss an absolute sitter for Rushden as he headed wide whilst unmarked from the centre of the goal to let Aldershot off the hook, and a thrilling period of extra time duly followed.

Hudson made his mark quickly when turning Andy Gooding neatly and firing home from the edge of the box for a 2-1 lead.

Rushden were handed a route back into the tie when Rob Gier took out Gooding in the box, but Burgess saw his penalty expertly saved by Jaimez-Ruiz and the game looked to be Aldershot’s when Donnelly headed home from the rebound after Hudson rattled the post from a tight angle.

Still the drama was not finished though and Burgess atoned for his earlier miss when scoring from the spot following a foul from Donnelly.

With the seconds ticking away, Rankine banished the memory of his miss at the end of normal time when he pounced on a fumble by Jaimez-Ruiz and pushed the ball over the line with his head from close range.

It was the last event of the game and with the final whistle came penalties. Andy Gooding hit the first wide for Rushden and they never recovered as Donnelly, Ben Harding, Ricky Newman and Hudson all scored for Aldershot.

Rushden captain Hope had to score to keep his side in the tie, but Jaimez-Ruiz dived to his left to keep out the spot-kick and sent the Aldershot fans into delirium as the first part of their double was attained in dramatic circumstances.

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