ALDERSHOT TOWN 3, EAST THURROCK 4

(after extra time)

ALDERSHOT Town crashed out of another cup competition at the first hurdle on Monday night, leaving manager Gary Waddock questioning the future of some players.

A topsy-turvy encounter saw National League South side East Thurrock advance to the second round of the FA Trophy with an extra-time winner.

The replay was a result of Saturday’s 1-1 draw in Essex, where Aldershot’s wasteful finishing cost them dear – and it was a similar story at the EBB Stadium.

Kane Ferdinand’s 107th-minute winner condemned Aldershot to a second cup defeat of the season at the hands of National League South opposition.

“We had a decent start to the season and that can paper over the cracks, but when things aren’t going your way you find out a lot more about people,” said Waddock, who shuffled his pack for the replay.

“There was opportunity for players tonight and I think it was sensible to change it after Saturday, bearing in mind the game was on a Monday and the players who are in our squad are good enough.

“Did they take their opportunity tonight? No, they didn’t.”

Waddock made five changes. Ipswich loanee Kundai Benyu was given his first start on his 19th birthday, while Anthony Straker captained the side on his 248th game for the club.

The hosts made the better start and could and possibly should have been 2-0 ahead early on, strikers Matt McClure and Charlie Walker missing the target with headers when well placed.

Just before the half-hour, however, the Shots did take the lead. McClure made up for his earlier miss by meeting a brilliant Iffy Allen cross with a header which had too much power for East Thurrock keeper Lucas Lidakevicius.

The lead lasted less than five minutes, though. The visitors made their first meaningful foray forward and Ben Marlow’s cut-back was finished clinically by prolific striker Sam Higgins. It was his 12th goal in 11 games.

The moment which changed the course of the game followed in the 43rd minute when Jack Saville received a straight red for hauling down Higgins when through on goal.

An already frustrated home crowd watched in disbelief as the resulting free-kick was expertly dispatched by Tom Wraight, and Aldershot retreated to the dressing-room accompanied by a smattering of boos.

A new 3-4-2 formation to accommodate the sending-off quickly paid off. Within seven minutes, Bernard Mensah skilfully beat his man and provided a perfect cross for Walker to fire home and pull it back to 2-2.

Aldershot piled on the pressure, but contrived to miss a number of chances, and were made to pay with 15 minutes remaining.

This time, East Thurrock won a free-kick on the right and, from the cross, Joe Ellul headed home through a mass of bodies.

The Rocks had the chance to end the game as a contest when substitute Harry Honesty went clean through on goal and shot under Mark Smith, only to see the ball roll wide of the post.

Mensah, Aldershot’s man of the match, threatened to make Thurrock pay when, with just minutes left, he pounced on a blocked shot and swept the ball home to send the tie to extra time.

Fatigue played its part in the ensuing 30 minutes as the Saturday-Monday turnaround began to catch up with players.

And it was in the 107th minute that the small group of travelling fans were cheering for the fourth time. Smith could only parry a low ball into the box and Ferdinand was on hand to snap up the winner.

Even then, it took a brilliant save by Lidakevicius to prevent a penalty shoot-out. After a solo run, Straker arrowed a shot towards the top corner, but the Lithuanian got a big hand to the ball and deflected it over.

Gary Waddock added: “It’s a massive time because ultimately everybody is playing for their future every single week. If they want to turn it on when they feel it’s alright to turn it on, they can do that by all means, but at the end of the day they’re judged every single game.

“If we ain’t getting results, something needs to be addressed.”

Aldershot: Smith; Conroy, Evans, Saville, Straker; Mensah, Benyu, Kellermann (Alexander), Allen (Fenelon); Walker (Rendell), McClure. Subs (not used): Wakefield, Reynolds. Booked: Kellermann. Sent off: Saville.

East Thurrock: Lidakevicius; Freiter, Ellul, Wood, Nesbitt; Harris, Ferdinand, Wood (Craddock), Wraight; Marlow (Honesty), Higgins. Subs (not used): Gardner, Walker. Booked: Clark, Ellul.

Referee: Gavin Ward.

* Aldershot travel to Chester this Saturday for their final game before Christmas.

* East Thurrock will host Braintree on January 14 in the second round of the FA Trophy.