ALDERSHOT TN 2, BOREHAM WOOD 0

ALDERSHOT Town made a statement of intent with their impressive win over play-off rivals Boreham Wood on Saturday.

After their 7-1 humiliation at AFC Fylde and goalless stalemate at Chester, Aldershot needed to convince the doubters that they were indeed candidates for promotion and victory over a side that had not lost an away game since September was a significant result.

Boreham Wood, draw specialists on their travels, came with a formidable reputation and certainly had physical presence, but found themselves outmanoeuvred and tactically outplayed by the faster, more mobile Aldershot midfield and attack.

It was a telling fact that striker Morgan Ferrier, the Hertfordshire club’s record signing when he was enticed back from Dagenham, barely had a sniff of a goal all afternoon, such was the dominance of Callum Reynolds and Will Evans, now thankfully re-united in Shots’ central defence.

Gary Waddock has never been loathe to rotate his squad, thus keeping his players on their toes, and Scott Rendell, James Rowe, George Fowler and Bobby-Joe Taylor formed a particularly strong bench.

Jake Gallagher, meanwhile, thrived in a new wide role on the right and the England C player scored the crucial first goal after just 11 minutes.

After a scrappy, nervy start by both sides, Aldershot were the first to show a bit of quality, Matt McClure playing a superb ball in from the left and Shamir Fenelon’s first-time shot bringing a good save from Grant Smith.

A minute later, the Shots were in front. Fenelon, outstanding throughout, knocked the ball into the path of the marauding Gallagher who finished like a true forward, striking clean and true into the far corner.

Aldershot were playing the better football, but only in spells. There were also periods littered with errors and tight offsides, and although referee Joe Johnson played several good advantages while also keeping busy flourishing six yellow cards, there were few clear-cut chances.

Boreham Wood could have equalised on the half-hour, and would have done so but for an exceptional save by fit-again Lewis Ward who flung himself high and wide to flick Danny Woodards’ 25-yard humdinger away from the top corner.

Aldershot finished the half with other bright spell. McClure, Fenelon and Gallagher linked up to great effect and Manny Oyeleke punched holes in the Boreham defence with forceful, elusive running, encouraging Adam McDonnell to have a pot from distance and force a fine stop from Smith.

The Wood’s likeliest route back into the game was from set-pieces and it might have been a different story if, immediately after half-time, following a corner, Kieran Murtagh and then Ferrier had taken advantage of free headers. They didn’t, and Aldershot swiftly regrouped to shut out the visitors for the rest of the game.

Midway through the half, the home side entered another dominant period when their fluid passing and clever movement off the ball appeared to dishearten Boreham Wood. The visitors almost looked like they were losing heart, despite the touchline admonishments of manager Luke Garrard.

Gallagher, with a chance to kill the game off, blazed high over the crossbar, but it mattered not because, moments later, Aldershot did clinch the points – and with a goal to savour.

Fenelon crossed from the right and McClure’s acrobatic volley, a sleight of foot, turned into a fiendish lob that goalkeeper Smith got a hand to, but could not prevent bouncing gently off the upright and into the net.

Two-nil with 14 minutes to go, and Aldershot were never going to let their advantage slip.

Substitutes flocked on to the pitch, but the job was done and it could have been 3-0 as Josh McQuoid tried an audacious punt from near halfway.

Aldershot back in business, with two eminently winnable games coming up over Easter – Solihull Moors away tomorrow and Eastleigh at home on Monday.

Aldershot: Ward, Alexander, Evans, Reynolds, Kinsella, Gallagher (Rowe 76), McDonnell, Oyeleke, McQuoid, Fenelon (Taylor 82), McClure (Rendell 80). Booked: Evans, McQuoid, Reynolds. Subs (not used): Cole, Fowler.

Boreham Wood: G Smith, K Smith, Turley, Woodards, Doe, Ricketts (Folivi 68), Shakes, Champion, Murtagh (Davey 85), Ferrier, Andrade (Thomas 90). Booked: Turley, Andrade, Murtagh. Subs (not used) Harfield, Burbidge.

Referee: Joe Johnson.

Attendance: 2,448.

“We’ve come up against a very good side who’ve been doing extremely well, so we’ve got to be pleased with that performance and result,” said Gary Waddock. “That was the real us. We made it hard for the opposition who have some very talented players in their group. The players responded and put in a hell of a performance.

“We scored two very good goals – a calm finish by Gallagher and McClure’s goal was outstanding. What everyone will miss was an unbelievable save by Lewis Ward. That was just as important as the goals.”