ALDERSHOT TN 2, AFC FYLDE 1

THE overwhelming emotion was relief at the EBB Stadium on Saturday as Aldershot Town beat AFC Fylde to register just their second National League victory in two months.

It was another triumph for belief and spirit as the Shots again left it late. Will Evans nodded in from Adam McDonnell’s 86th-minute free-kick to seal what Gary Waddock called a “massive” victory after his team once more conceded a sloppy goal and both sides were reduced to ten men.

“A win’s a win,” said the manager, “and we need to start winning matches. The players have worked really hard and shown a lot of character today. We moved the ball around better in the first half, we looked sharper. Pressed better, closed down better. Then we found a way to win the game in the second half.”

Waddock gave Reading goalkeeper Lewis Ward an immediate debut after joining on loan on Friday and moved winger Shamir Fenelon into a central striker’s role. Both changes paid off as the 6ft 6in Ward gave a confident display and Fenelon put the Shots into an early lead.

Fenelon was prominent from the start, but it was his head rather than his extra pace which made the difference after Bernard Mensah broke through midfield and found James Rowe in the right channel. Rowe’s cross deflected up off a Fylde defender and Fenelon reached the ball first ahead of onrushing goalkeeper Jay Lynch to nod it into the net.

Aldershot were good value for their lead, but it could have been by a greater margin at the break. Mensah’s free-kick fizzed inches past the post and some creative approach play brought the best out the Fylde defence which stood strong to keep chances to a minimum.

A similar pattern emerged at the start of the second half as Fabien Robert and Fenelon nearly broke through. So it was against the run of play when Fylde equalised on 56 minutes.

Luke Burke played an apparently innocuous pass out of defence, but Evans failed to track Danny Rowe’s run and the prolific striker slotted a shot beyond Ward.

Eight minutes later, the pendulum swung back in the hosts’ favour as Jack Muldoon appeared to elbow George Fowler when the pair grappled for a pass in the centre circle and referee Sam Purkiss showed a straight red card.

Callum Reynolds – deployed at left-back for the afternoon – and Adam both fired wide from an angle, while Fenelon pulled his shot across goal when he should have hit the target.

It became ten-versus-ten on 79 minutes as Manny Oyeleke – named Player of the Month before kick-off – was dismissed for a two-footed challenge on Serhat Tasdemir.

But Aldershot continued to press and snatched the winner with four minutes to go. McDonnell whipped in a free-kick, Reynolds flicked the ball towards the far post with his heel and Evans stole in to head home from an acute angle.

There was still time for Cheye Alexander to bring a strong save from Lynch, while Ward had to deny Danny Rowe at point-blank range to ensure victory for his new side.

Now just six points behind leaders Dover Athletic, despite a relatively poor run of results, the Shots know that a few more similar performances – grinding out wins despite not being at their best – will re-establish themselves as play-off contenders.

Aldershot may well have to show a steely edge to their game as they prepare for two away fixtures against top-half sides in the space of four days. The Shots visit Hartlepool this Saturday and then make the rather shorter trip to Bromley on Tuesday.

Aldershot: Ward; Alexander, Fowler (Gallagher 71), Evans, Reynolds; Kellermann (Oyeleke 60), McDonnell; J Rowe (Rendell 78), Robert, Mensah; Fenelon. Subs (not used): Skinner, Pring. Booked: Alexander, Kellermann, McDonnell. Sent off: Oyeleke.

AFC Fylde: Lynch; Burke, Edmundson, Tunnicliffe, Francis-Angol; Muldoon, Taylor (Tasdemir 55), Finley, Bond, Smith (Montrose 68); D Rowe. Subs (not used): Grand, Blinkhorn, Jones. Booked: Taylor, Finley, Burke. Sent off: Muldoon.

Referee: Sam Purkiss.

Attendance: 2,011 (37 away).