WOKING 2, ALDERSHOT TN 1

ANY hope that the new year would bring a new, improved Aldershot Town evaporated less than 48 hours into 2016 as Woking completed a first-ever derby day double in front of 3,708 spectators at a very wet and windy Kingfield.

The Shots almost snatched a point in the final minutes when Charlie Walker hit the bar, but their rally proved too little too late and wayward finishing ultimately cost them dear.

It was a similar tale to their Boxing Day defeat at the EBB Stadium. Aldershot’s performance perhaps deserved greater reward than a vague sense of injustice, but frailties in both penalty areas continued to be their undoing.

Barry Smith described his team’s defending for both Woking goals as “terrible”. Aldershot conceded two soft strikes in the game’s second quarter and were unable to rouse themselves until the closing stages.

“You’ll never win games with such poor defending,” said manager Smith. “These players are better than that, but we can’t defend in one box and then don’t put the ball away in the other. We’ve played ok, but for me ‘ok’ is never going to be good enough.”

The game had started at pace, albeit punctuated by too many offside decisions and cheap free-kicks, with the Shots in competitive mood. Danny Carr, Charlie Walker and Jim Stevenson all went close from distance, while for Woking, Joey Jones saw a free header cleared off the line.

The Cards seized the initiative from the moment Cheye Alexander was booked for a foul on John Goddard. The impressive wide player skipped past a hesitant Alexander on 25 minutes and crossed low for Joe Quigley to sweep the ball in at the far post.

The visitors lost Sam Hatton to a foot injury after little more than half-an-hour, but they introduced Dan Walker to positive effect and his cross invited Charlie Walker to power in a header which Jake Cole saved superbly.

Phil Smith’s touch to repel Goddard’s free-kick was equally impressive. However, just two minutes later, in the final seconds of the half, Quigley flicked a header into the path of Goddard who burst through a sluggish Shots back four to score with ease.

Rhys Browne, recovered from a virus, replaced Tom Richards five minutes after the break, but Aldershot seldom looked like pulling one back.

A sliced defensive clearance was cleared off the line and Joe Oastler went close with a stretching header – otherwise Woking looked comfortable.

On 74 minutes, though, Aldershot roared back to life. Jim Stevenson’s drive was parried by Cole and Browne pounced on the rebound to score.

Woking were tottering in the final minutes. Browne saw an angled drive deflected behind and, from the resulting corner, a goalmouth scramble ended with Charlie Walker hitting the crossbar from eight yards. It could so easily have ended two apiece.

Aldershot continued to press for an equaliser and only the final whistle halted a final desperate counter-attack.

The result hinged on that fleeting moment when Walker struck the woodwork. “In training, I’d have put my money on Charlie scoring,” said Smith. “I’d take him to score that nine times out of ten, but in the pressure of the game he leans back slightly. That’s the way things are falling at the moment.

“We had tremendous support today, and I’m disappointed for our fans as much as anything. I find it hard to take any positives from the game because we’ve been beaten by our local rivals.”

Woking: Cole, Caprice, Norman, Jones, Saah, Robinson, Ricketts, Andrade (Arthur 60), Goddard, Holman (Sole 46), Quigley (Murtagh 79). Subs (not used): Hamann, Keohane. Booked: Caprice.

Aldershot: Smith; Alexander, Beckles, Oastler, McGinty; Hatton (D Walker 32), Gallagher, Stevenson, Richards (Browne 51); C Walker, Carr. Subs (not used): Lathrope, Oliver, Thomas. Booked: Alexander, McGinty.

Referee: Dean Treleaven.

Attendance: 3,708 (808 away).

Woking remain seventh in the table, three points outside the play-off places. Aldershot, after just one win in 11 games, slip to 17th, seven points away from the drop zone.

Barry Smith has apologised for not shaking hands with Garry Hill after Saturday’s game, claiming the opportunity had not arisen because the Woking boss was celebrating with his staff. The managers later shook hands indoors.