TT MATCH PREVIEW – ALDERSHOT TOWN (H) by Steve Harris

TT PREVIEW

Steve Harris – @steveharris84

Match details: Torquay United versus Aldershot Town

Venue: Plainmoor

Date: Tuesday 22nd March 2022

Kick-off: 7.45pm

Current Form (last six):

Torquay: D, D, D, D, W, L

Aldershot: L, L, D, L, L, L

Top scorer:

Torquay: Armani Little (10)

Aldershot: Corie Andrews (9)

Head-to-Head:

Torquay: 45

Draw: 21

Aldershot/Aldershot Town: 41

Aldershot Town fact file:

Year founded: 1992

Nickname: The Shots

Last season’s league finish: 15th in National League

Notable honours:

Football Conference/Blue Square Premier/National League:

Winners: 2007-08

Isthmian League Premier Division:

Winners: 2002-03

Manager: Mark Molesley

After spending two spells as a player with Aldershot, between 2006 and 2007 and 2013 and 2015, former England C’ international Mark Molesley returned to the EBB Stadium as manager in September 2021, following the sacking of Danny Searle.

Molesley started his managerial career with Weymouth, a role which he combined with coaching AFC Bournemouth’s Under-23 side. He led the Terras to back-to-back promotions to reach the National League after winning the Southern League Premier South title in 2018-19 and the National League Play-offs in 2019-20.

His success with Weymouth saw him appointed as Southend United manager in August 2020, but a series of poor results saw him dismissed after seven months in charge at Roots Hall.

Player to watch: Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain

The younger brother of Liverpool and England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain joined the Shots at the start of the current campaign and has established as a first team regular. A product of the Portsmouth academy, he signed his first professional contract with Pompey in 2014, before making his first-team debut professional debut in September 2015. The 23 year-old then had spells in non-league with a number of clubs, including Wimborne Town, Salisbury FC, Eastbourne Borough, Poole Town and National League South side Oxford City, He had a brief spell with Notts County before signing for Gosport Borough in September 2020.

OX STATS:

Position: Right Back

Date of Birth: 24th June 1998 – 23 Years Old

Birthplace: Portsmouth

Former Clubs: Portsmouth, Wimborne, Salisbury, Eastbourne, Poole, Oxford City, Notts County, Gosport Borough

National League Stats 21-22:Played 30, Goals 0, Yellow 4, Red 0

Old boys:

Torquay: Dan Holman

Aldershot: None

Last meeting: Tuesday 23rd November 2021, Aldershot Town 1 Torquay United 0

Aldershot climbed out of the National League relegation places with a narrow win over Torquay thanks to Lewis Kinsella’s late winner.

Torquay thought they had the first goal of the game when Sinclair Armstrong put the ball in the net, but the referee blew for a foul after Armstrong appeared to push Corey Jordan.

The two teams pushed for a winner in the second period and Armani Little went close for the visitors when his free-kick stung the palms of Mitch Walker.

Aldershot Town (4-4-2): Walker; Saunders, Lyons-Foster (Berkeley-Agyepong 68), Jordan, Kinsella; Sylla, Glover, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Andrews; Willard, Whittingham (Vennings 61)

Torquay United (4-4-2): MacDonald; Wynter, Perritt (Omar 88), Lewis, Moxey; Andrews (Moore 74), Little, Lapslie (Holman 86), Martin; Lemonheigh-Evans, Armstrong