H
TT MATCH PREVIEW
Steve Harris – @steveharris84
Match details: Aldershot Town versus Torquay United
Venue: The EBB Stadium, Aldershot
Date: Tuesday 27th October 2020
Kick-off: 7.45pm
Current Form (all competitions):
Aldershot: L, L, W, D, L
Torquay: W, L, W, W, W, W
Leading scorers (all competitions):
Aldershot: Mo Bettamer 4
Torquay: Kyle Cameron, Asa Hall 2 each
Head to Head (including all matches against Aldershot and Aldershot Town):
Aldershot: 40 Draw: 21 Torquay: 43
Last time the two teams met: Saturday 14th December 2019, Torquay United 5 Aldershot Town 1, FA Trophy first round
It was ultimately the result that mattered most for Gary Johnson after watching his Torquay United side return to winning in emphatic fashion against Aldershot Town in the FA Trophy.
Johnson had previously won the competition with Yeovil Town in 2002, but it was the fact the Gulls ended a run of six straight defeats – with a performance which saw Jamie Reid and Saikou Janneh net a brace each, before Ruairi Keating completed the scoring – that was more important come the end.
United edged in front on seven minutes after debutant Lloyd James and Jamie Reid combined to enable Saikou Janneh to beat the offside trap to score the first goal of his second loan spell with the club.
The hosts continued to dominate and on 23 minutes, referee Gary Parsons pointed to the spot after United’s Ben Wynter was felled by Shots left-back Lewis Kinsella. Reid converted the resulting spot-kick to score his 17th goal of the campaign.
The second half saw Aldershot start the brighter as Torquay keeper Shaun MacDonald was forced into a smart save following a goalmouth scramble in the 46th minute.
United were denied a third by the upright on 56 minutes when a Kyle Cameron header, following a corner from James, deflected off former Gulls defender Myles Anderson and onto the inside of the post.
The Shots pulled one back on the hour mark through Mo Bettamer who struck with a shot that took a deflection off Wynter.
However, the Gulls restored their two-goal cushion in the 70th minute as debutant Aaron Nemane made a brilliant run before picking out Janneh who – in turn – teed up Reid who completed his double with a low drive from just inside the penalty area.
United then added a fourth three minutes later, as substitute Ruairi Keating found the back of the net two minutes after coming off the bench.
With eight minutes to go, Janneh scored United’s fifth after he dispossessed Mitch Walker before firing into an empty net.
Manager: Danny Searle
Danny Searle was appointed as Aldershot Town in the summer of 2019 after a short spell in charge of Braintree Town. While in charge of Braintree, Searle, 41, who is a UEFA Pro Licence holder, oversaw an upturn in the Iron’s future after replacing Maidstone United bound Hakan Hayrettin in January 2019. This included a run which saw them beat both Salford City and AFC Fylde and draw with Leyton Orient. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to stop Braintree from making an immediate return to National League South. Searle has also coached at the academies of Chelsea, Charlton Athletic, Southend United and West Ham United.
One to watch: Josh Rees
A familiar name to United fans, Josh Rees arrived at Plainmoor on loan from Nottingham Forest in January 2016. He proved to be a key performer as the Gulls completed their first ‘great escape’ under Kevin Nicholson in the 2015-16 season. A product of the Arsenal academy, Rees re-ignited his career with Chelmsford City, in the National League South, and Bromley, in the National League, which helped to earn him a return to the Football League with Gillingham. After failing to hold a regular first team spot at the Priestfield Stadium, he returned to Bromley in August 2019 where he stayed for a year before signing for the Shots in the summer of 2020.
