Aldershot Match Report

[surreyred]

First thing to say is that it is very rare, for far too many reasons than i can go into now, for me to get to se a City team game, so any game in my own back yard was a must see, even a reserve friendly.

The first comment on the game was that Aldershot were well worth their win, and should have scored a couple more. Having said that if we had a goalkeeper that the defence had any faith or trust in each other i don't thing they would have scored at all.

I don't know who the keeper was, the ground annoucer called him three diffrent names, calling him BASSO at one time ! Having not seen BASSO in the flesh i was in a cold sweat because this guy was very poor. But it can not be easy playing with a defence you have never met before.

In the first half Aldershot showed us too much respect and we were able to knock the ball around with ease, and at speed. However most of this was in our own half, and any ball into the final third was hit more in hope and any expectation. WRING at right back stood out for me, until about 3/4 through the first half when he got skinned down the touch line, with WILLIAMS saving his beacon, and then faded from the game. KEOGH struggled to win the first header for the first part of the game, but improved as the game went on.

The first goal was a tidy spin and shot from STEWART, but apart from a lot of huffing and puffing this was all he did of note. For me, on this game, GJ has made the right decision over both him and SMITH, who also did very little.

Despite all his height SHOWUNMI was no threat in the air. He had some nice touches but there was too much space between him and STEWART and neither had the control or direction of pass to make up for this.

Aldershot came out in the second half, having clearly had a rocket at half time, and had a go at us scoring twice from crosses, both of which a defence having with communication with its keeper would have delt with.

WILLIAMS got onto a nice through ball into the area and slotted home a tidy goal. Aldershot scored a third late on, again the lack of understanding at the back being the problem.

At times we tried to be too clever, trying to knock balls through the centre of the Shots defence, when what we were crying out was for someone to get to the goal line and put in some crosses.

Which brings me to the best bit of the game. WILLIAMS, who was easily our man of the match. He was the only one of our players to produce any threat on goal, and also covered back well, saving WRING in the first half, as mentioned. Tried to do too much at times, and i would be happier if he tried to get to the bye line more often, and put in some crosses. But as a whole this guy looks the real deal.

SMITH, BROWN, STEWART AND WRING were all sub in the second half none of which changed the game much.

McCOMBE did alright but was clearly struggling with communication with the keeper, outside of this no one else stood out.

As a final note it was nice to see Daren BARNARD again. Didn't do much, but provided one cracking corner in the first half from which the Shots nearly scored.

[Dollymarie]

For the love of god, does anyone know his name!!!!

Edit:Yay I have a name people, Bertrand Bassu, who will definitely not be getting a contract after tonight.

[bobinrobin]

As another Surrey Red who took my two kids along to see City for the first time I would support most of Surreyreds comments. Showunmi I thought looked our most useful player and Stewart did show some good touches.

The goalkeeper was clearly not confident and unless my eyesight was failing me the third goal was partly due to an inefficiency at clearing up and keeping hold of a shot!

Of note on the Aldershot side Marcus Gayle had a good game and I was most impressed by there number 7 although I wasn't sure of his name. He made some excellent runs and caused a few problems.

Defeat aside the most irritating thing was the programme for the match which (can you believe) confused us with Bristol Rovers!

It was Bristol Rovers on the fixture list, great campaigns of Bristol Rovers and the Dream Bristol Rovers team. So if you wish - lets just pretend it was Bristol Rovers Playing last night and we kept our 100% record