Overview

The Truro City Stadium will play host to the first ever meeting between the Tinners and Aldershot Town tomorrow (Wednesday) – 7.45pm.

After suffering three consecutive defeats at the start of the campaign, all by the same 3-2 scoreline to Altrincham, Boston United and Eastleigh, the Shots are now searching for a four game unbeaten.

Their campaign was kick-started by a resounding 5-1 away win at bottom side Solihull Moors before Morecambe were thrashed 4-0 at the Rec. Last time out, the side were involved in a topsy turvy match at Gateshead which saw six goals and the spoils shared.

Last Term

Under the guise of Tommy Widdrington, relegation was avoided in the early weeks of his tenure, thus ensuring Aldershot would dine at non-League’s top table in 2023-24. 

And the momentum gained from Widdrington’s appointment carried over into the following campaign as the side finished eighth in the table, meaning last term the goal would surely have been to push on once more and look for a play-off place. 

Initially, it looked good for the Shots as just two defeats in their opening six games left the side handily placed near the top of the standings. 

But a 2-0 loss to Rochdale sparked a run of just two league wins in 19 games before the turn of the year. Coupled with manager Widdrington being absent from the dugout after suffering two strokes in November, Aldershot were in trouble again. 

However, coupled with Widdrington’s remarkable recovery, which coincided with his return to action in late January, the side’s form improved. 

They suffered just two defeats in 17 to push themselves up into mid-table and there was even talk of a late charge to the play-offs. 

Form did taper off but that was perhaps due to the club’s run in the FA Trophy, as they defeated Wealdstone (3-1), Chertsey (8-0), Boreham Wood (2-0) and Sittingbourne (3-0. 

This set up a semi-final showdown with fierce local rivals Woking, with Aldershot prevailing 2-1. 

A Wembley final against underdogs Spennymoor Town was Aldershot’s reward and they ran out comfortable 3-0 winners with Jack Barham, Dan Ellison and Josh Barrett all scoring under the famous arch. 

In the league, a final day win over Yeovil on home soil saw the Shots finish a credible 16th place in the National League table. 

The Gaffer

Tommy Widdrington took over the Recreation Ground hot seat in April 2023.

The side, at the time, were flirting with relegation under caretaker boss Ross McNeilly, who replaced the departed Mark Moseley earlier in the term. 

McNeilly was placed in charge until the end of 22-23, but with safety not guaranteed, Shots owner Shaid Azeem made his move for Widdrington, who at the time was in charge of National League North outfit Kings Lynn. 

And not only did Widdrington ensure Aldershot’s survival, he led them to a famous FA Trophy win over Spennymoor Town in May, to mark arguably the club’s finest hour. 

However, the 53-year-old suffered two strokes in November last year, but remarkably, was back in the Aldershot dugout by the end of January. 

“To survive the two strokes, I’m indebted to the medical professionals in our NHS,” Widdrington said after the FA Trophy victory. 

“And of course, my wife and very close family, as well as my employers, everybody at Aldershot Town. That’s the board, my staff and of course, the supporters and the players have been fantastic with me.”

Widdrington, born in Newcastle, started his career on the South Coast with Southampton and after never really being able to hold down a regular position in the Saints side, moved to Grimsby in 1996. 

He then enjoyed spells with the Mariners, Port Vale, Hartlepool and at Macclesfield, playing alongside current Tinners boss John Askey. 

Finishing his career at Salisbury, Widdrington then became manager of the Whites for a single season and would go onto manage Hemel Hempstead and Eastbourne Borough. 

Two caretaker spells as manager of Bristol Rovers followed, along with time spent as director of football at the Memorial Ground. 

Then it was to Kings Lynn before Aldershot, with Widdrington signing a new contract this summer, keeping him at the Rec until 2027.

One to Watch

If you want goals in the National League, Aldershot are the team to face as in their six league games to date, the net has rippled an incredible 31 times. 

Sweeping statements like that are usually the beginning of a commentator’s curse, so perhaps be prepared for an attritional 0-0 this evening, with both defences on top. 

But it would seem unlikely that any outcome such as described above will be forthcoming with City scoring three without reply on Saturday. At the same time, some 400 plus miles away at the Gateshead International Stadium, Aldershot were sharing six goals with the Heed. 

And on another day, with a different refereeing decision, they could have had a fourth and all three points, but James Claridge’s late strike was ruled out for a foul. 

With goals in plentiful supply this term for the Shots, they have also been shared around the team, with Ryan Hill leading a congested Recreation Ground scoring chart with four. 

He has also scored those goals in just two games with braces in the home defeat against Eastleigh, with the 27-year-old attacker also bagging two in the 5-1 rout of current basement dwellers Solihull Moors. 

Before joining the Shots, Hill was with now National League South club Dagenham & Redbridge, scoring 11 goals in 23-24 and four last term.

Prior to his spell in East London, Hill had spells with Eastleigh and Hampton & Richmond. He also represented Stoke at under-23 level, joining the Potters from Beaconsfield, a regular opponent of City’s in their Southern League days. 

Last Time Out

Assistant boss Hugo Lanton said his Aldershot side’s 3-3 away draw with Gateshead was ‘frustrating’. 

The Heed opened the scoring inside the opening five minutes through Kyle Hurst but before the interval, Aldershot had turned the game upside down to lead. 

Kwame Thomas restored parity for the visitors before Cameron Hargreaves’ deflected effort put the visitors 2-1 up. 

Just shy of the hour mark, Hurst bagged his second of the afternoon to restore parity for Gateshead and now it was a case of roles reversed, as the North East outfit led once more through Harry Chapman. 

But Aldershot wouldn’t be denied a share of the spoils as Hady Ghandour scored their third of the afternoon with 13 minutes of normal time left. 

“It was a great game for the neutral but to come away and score three goals and not win is frustrating,” Lanton told The Non-League Paper.

It was a double dose of disappointment for Lanton and his charges as they thought they had won the match deep into stoppage time. James Claridge poked the ball home from close range, only to be denied by the whistle of referee Dean Watson, who ruled that there was a foul committed by Aldershot in the Gateshead box. 

“The goal at the end should have stood,” added Lanton. “That’s really frustrating because we should have come away with all three points.”