FC HALIFAX 0, ALDERSHOT TN 2

TYPICALLY, in this most unpredictable season for Aldershot Town, they bounced back from two successive home defeats to record a valuable win at the West Yorkshire outpost of Halifax.

An eighth away win of the campaign, plus a 13th clean sheet, gave statistical proof of improvement being made under Barry Smith. The manner of victory was also hugely encouraging after two games which had exposed the team’s fragile defence.

It was a performance full of selfless commitment and desire which, although achieved at some personal cost, finally secured Aldershot’s status in the National League, while leaving the Shaymen only two points above the relegation zone.

Captain Sean McGinty suffered a dislocated shoulder, striker Alfie Pavey was carried off with an ankle injury which had him beating the turf in pain, and assistant manager Chris Barker – making just his second appearance of the season – was momentarily knocked out after blocking a fierce long-range drive with his face.

The reception afforded to the team at the final whistle by 226 visiting supporters on the club’s annual ‘Tour of Duty’ would have soothed aching heads and sore limbs.

“Halifax threw everything at us, but we’ve coped with it. We had to defend very well and we did,” said manager Smith. “The difference between today and the second half against Grimsby is that we defended the box well.

“We knew we’d have to weather the storm early on, but we also knew that if we did that, we’d get chances of our own. We’ve come out on the front foot at the start of the second half and scored at the right time. We’ve played better, but we still tried to get the ball down and play, even though it’s not a great pitch.”

A predictably compact first half yielded few genuine opportunities, with Halifax limited to a series of set-pieces and shots from distance. Winger Josh MacDonald remained a threat, but failed to break down a team defending with impressive strength and unity.

Aldershot then took control within 60 seconds of the restart. After winning a corner almost straight from kick-off, Rhys Browne drove the ball back in from the left and Jim Stevenson stooped to score with a brave close-range header which also saw him left virtually unconscious in the goalmouth.

Charlie Walker’s 20-yard free-kick drew a fine save from Sam Johnson and Walker was again left frustrated when Browne chose to shoot from an angle rather than supply a pass to his team-mate who was better placed.

This briefly invited the hosts back into the game, but for all their possession and sporadic pressure, Dan Thomas remained a relative spectator in the Aldershot goal.

Again, the Shots scored with perfect timing, on 83 minutes, to quell any hopes of a Halifax comeback. Nathan Ralph was tackled in the act of shooting and the ball squirmed free to Browne who evaded one challenge and – for the second time in four days – hit an unstoppable low shot into the net.

Belatedly, the Shaymen found a cutting edge, but were unable to beat Thomas. Three times in the closing stages, including seven minutes of injury time, he preserved his clean sheet with strong saves to keep out James Bolton’s header and a shot from Connor Hughes, before denying Shaq McDonald as he broke into the box.

While Aldershot’s status should never have come into question this late in the season, displays such as this will establish a platform on which Barry Smith can build over the summer.

FC Halifax: Johnson; Bolton, Roberts, Bencherif, McManus; MacDonald (McDonald 79), Wroe (Hughes 60), James, Hibbs, Peniket (Fairhurst 61); Burrow. Subs (not used): Porter, Fazlic.

Aldershot: Thomas; Alexander, Beckles, Barker, McGinty (Hatton 89); Rasulo (Ralph 52), Stevenson, Gallagher, Browne; Lafayette (Pavey 84), C Walker. Subs (not used): Smith, McGrory. Booked: Lafayette.

Referee: Richard Wigglesworth.

Attendance: 1,714 (226 away).

* Alfie Pavey has returned to Millwall for further treatment after being carried off in the final minutes at Halifax. The forward twisted his ankle in landing awkwardly and is being assessed by the London club’s medical staff.

* Sean McGinty is likely to miss the rest of the season after dislocating his left shoulder in the same game. He was treated at Halifax’s Calderdale Royal Hospital before returning home with club chairman Shahid Azeem and director Brian Bloomfield.

* Goalkeeper Dan Thomas made his first start since September, while assistant manager Chris Barker began for the first time since November. Regular keeper Phil Smith has been probably Aldershot’s most consistent player this season, but was at fault for two of the four goals conceded against Grimsby last week.