Aldershot Town 2-1 Woking - FA Trophy Semi-Final - Saturday 5th April 2025 (Match Day Thread)

[Graham Stovold]

Amazing. Great victory.

I was wrong, they didn't choke, these boys stood up and battled until the end. .

Until that second penalty we didn't look like scoring, but they got there in the end. Brilliant scenes. Well done , lads.

Exactly what I said to the wife as we were travelling back home from the airport. She said “ there’s plenty of time still’’ It seems like the substitution of Henry for Frost was spot on .

Gibbo couldn’t hold it back when Rob asked for his final thoughts, was in tears at the end.

[supershots]

No sign of Alex then?

Naturally he will not be at wembley or will he

[Peter macdonald]

And the waiting is OVER

[Alex]

Woking win

Alex will be easy to spot, he did not see the memo and will be dressed in yellow

Made hard work of it, didn’t play great and let Effiong do too much.

However…

WE ARE GOING TO WEMBLEY !!!!!

[Alex]

No sign of Alex then?

Naturally he will not be at wembley or will he

Naturally?

I have a season ticket and go to most home games, and very occasionally away too.

Of course I will be going to Wembley!

Pretty sad you still think you need to wind people up after what has happened today.

[Weybourne Shot]

No sign of Alex then?

Naturally he will not be at wembley or will he

Naturally?

I have a season ticket and go to most home games, and very occasionally away too.

Of course I will be going to Wembley!

Pretty sad you still think you need to wind people up after what has happened today.

Didn't you say we were going to lose though Akex ... you don't help yourself

[Diving Wayne Andrews]

Steve gibbs emotion at the end, feeling what so many of us older fans were feeling, its a good day to be a shots fan!

[Alex]

No sign of Alex then?

Naturally he will not be at wembley or will he

Naturally?

I have a season ticket and go to most home games, and very occasionally away too.

Of course I will be going to Wembley!

Pretty sad you still think you need to wind people up after what has happened today.

Didn't you say we were going to lose though Akex ... you don't help yourself

Yes, I thought we would. But we didn’t…

[Graham Stovold]

Woking win

Alex will be easy to spot, he did not see the memo and will be dressed in yellow

Made hard work of it, didn’t play great and let Effiong do too much.

However…

WE ARE GOING TO WEMBLEY !!!!!

Exactly how my son saw it

[redandbluescb]

Best team by a country mile . woeking are going down.

[Golgo]

One comment… good luck in the final, you will need it, BUT the minority of your fans are a disgrace. That attack on our GK and invading the pitch before the game ended. I hope your fans get hit VERY hard. As usual nothing will happen and the thugs get away with it.
Fair play to the East Bank chants to get off the pitch!

[drewshotsfan]

What was the attendance today, please?

[Ian M]

I was meant to be travelling to Northumberland the day before... oops, that's 2 days off our trip

[Aldershot]

https://www.altonherald.com/sport/footb ... ley-781153

Aldershot Town sealed their place in the FA Trophy final at Wembley with a 2-1 semi-final win against ten-man Woking at the EBB Stadium.

James Henry’s penalty and Jack Barham’s late header cancelled out Lewis Walker’s opener as the Shots sealed their place at Wembley.

The Cards created the first chance of the afternoon in the third minute when a quick free kick found Inih Effiong, who drove forward and cut in from the left before flashing his right-foot shot just over the bar.

Effiong went close for the visitors again four minutes later when he cut in from the left and hit his right-foot shot straight at Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst.

The Shots produced a nice passage of play on 15 minutes when Aaron Jones’ ball over the top found Ryan Jones, who appeared to be in on goal, but Tariq Hinds made a good challenge and turned the ball behind for a corner.

The resulting corner from Josh Barrett found Luca Woodhouse, who rose highest but headed wide of the far left-hand post.

The hosts went close again in the 36th minute when Barrett won possession high up the pitch and drilled a low shot which was well parried away by Woking keeper Will Jaaskelainen.

Tyler Frost pounced on the loose ball and was fouled in the box to give the Shots a penalty and a golden chance to take the lead.

Frost stepped up from the spot, but Jaaskelainen went the right way and smartly parried away his penalty.

The hosts nearly went ahead in first-half stoppage time when a short corner was worked to Cameron Hargreaves on the edge of the box, who fired his powerful left-foot effort wide of the left-hand post.

The Shots created the first chance of the second half on 49 minutes when a long throw eventually fell to Barrett on the edge of the box, who attempted a bicycle kick but fired his spectacular effort over the bar.

The Cards were then reduced to ten men in the 53rd minute when Harry Beautyman received a straight red card from referee Aaron Bannister for an off-the-ball incident with Theo Widdrington.

The visitors took the lead two minutes later, despite their numerical disadvantage, when Jamie Andrews’ excellent left-foot cross from the right found Walker at the back post, who powered his header past Dewhurst.

Shots boss Tommy Widdrington was quick to respond to going behind, bringing on Henry for Frost.

The hosts nearly got back on level terms on the hour mark when a quick counter attack ended with Barrett curling his right-foot effort from the edge of the box wide of the right-hand post.

Cards boss Neal Ardley then made his first change of the afternoon, bringing on Jermaine Anderson for Frank Vincent.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead in the 64th minute when Effiong won possession and drove into the box before dragging his right-foot shot wide of the far left-hand post.

Widdrington made his second change as the Shots looked for a leveller, with Kwame Thomas replacing Dan Ellison.

The hosts won their second penalty of the afternoon on 73 minutes when Hargreaves’ powerful shot from the edge of the box was handled by Timi Odusina.

Henry stepped up from the spot and fired his right-foot 75th-minute penalty into the right-hand corner of the net past the diving Jaaskelainen.

Ardley immediately made his second change of the afternoon, bringing on Aiden O’Brien for Walker.

The Shots pushed for a winner and nearly took the lead on 80 minutes when Barrett cut in from the left and fired a shot goalwards which was well blocked, and the Cards eventually cleared the ball after a spot of penalty area pinball.

Barrett tried his luck again four minutes later when he hit a left-foot effort from the edge of the box which was well held by Jaaskelainen.

The Shots continued to push for a winner and Will Armitage headed just wide of the left-hand post from Ryan Jones’ 87th-minute corner.

The winning goal arrived in the 93rd minute when Ryan Jones’ cross from the left picked out Barham at the back post, who powered his header past Jaaskelainen to send the Shots to Wembley.

Next up for the Shots is a home game against Boston United in the National League on Tuesday, April 8 (7.45pm kick-off).

[Reg's corner]

Highlights will be interesting to confirm the legibility of the sending off and 2 penalties.

Ref didn't have much choice re sending off. Violent conduct