Report: Aldershot Town 3-2 Maidenhead United

 

Alan Devonshire made two changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Barnet on Saturday with Ashley Nathaniel-George and Lewis Kinsella replacing the suspended Sam Beckwith and Will De Havilland. 

 

The Shots had the first effort of the game, Ryan Glover’s strike was well blocked and cleared by James Golding. 

The hosts continued to put the pressure on early in the game with Lorent Tolaj getting on the end of a corner, thankfully his header didn’t trouble Craig Ross in goal. 

 

After soaking up some early pressure, Maidenhead took the lead in the 15th minute through Chanka Zimba. 

Some great work down the left from Ashley Nathaniel-George and Reece Smith left Zimba in plenty of space who slotted into an empty net. 

 

Following some pressure from Aldershot, Zimba got his and Maidenhead’s second in the 20th minute after slotting home from close range on the counter. 

 

Despite going 2-0 down, Aldershot continued to pile on the pressure this time through Joe Haigh whose effort was initially parried by Ross and then cleared by Zico Asare. 

 

Smith then had an opportunity to give Maidenhead a third goal in the first-half, his curling effort from range skimmed the crossbar. 

 

The host's pressure paid off in the 36th minute when Coby Rowe rose highest from a corner and beat Ross to the ball to give half the host's deficit. 

 

Aldershot levelled the game minutes later through Jack Barham whose powerful effort was too much for Ross who got a hand to it but couldn’t stop it. 

 

Nathaniel-George almost restored Maidenhead’s lead moments later when his strike was tipped wide by Aldershot keeper Jordi van Stappershoef. 

 

Half-time: Aldershot Town 2-2 Maidenhead United 

 

The first opportunity of the second-half fell to the hosts and Glover who dragged his effort wide of the left-hand post. 

 

Jayden Mitchell-Lawson had the first chance for Maidenhead in the second-half, his determination to drive forward with the ball paid dividends ending in a one-on-one. His strike was well saved by van Stappershoef. 

The Magpies started to gain control of the ball more and midfielder Brad Keetch was next to test van Stappershoef who easily collected Keetch’s strike from distance. 

 

Following a quiet spell in the game, Maidenhead then had the next big chance on the 65th minute after Zimba’s initial shot was blocked in the box before a goal-mouth scramble was eventually cleared by the Shots. 

Maidenhead continued to pile on the pressure, this time through Nathaniel-George whose curling effort was tipped over by van Stappershoef. 

 

Substitute Tyler Frost provided a rare attack for the host but his effort from distance failed to trouble Ross. 

The hosts took the lead in the final ten minutes of the game through Lorent Tolaj, his curling effort into the bottom corner was too much for Ross. 

 

Aldershot almost scored a fourth minutes later when a certain goal was cleared off the line by Asare. 

The hosts sealed the result in stoppage time through Toraj who got his second of the game. 

 

Full-time: Aldershot Town 4-2 Maidenhead United 

 

Aldershot Town – Jordi van Stappershoef, Haji Mnoga, Ollie Harfield, Cian Harries, Coby Rowe (Frost 46’), Lorent Toraj, Ryan Glover, Aaron Jones ©, Joe Haigh (Tetek 57’), Jack Barham, Tommy Willard (Thomas 72’). 

 

Maidenhead Untied – Craig Ross, Zico Asare, James Golding, Ashley Nathaniel-George (Pettit 76’), Jayden Mitchell-Lawson, Brad Keetch (Omilabu 85’), Reece Smith, Remy Clerima, Chanka Zimba, Lewis Kinsella, Charlee Adams ©