ALDERSHOT TN 2, NORTH FERRIBY 0

GARY Waddock has called for his players to make the EBB Stadium an intimidating place for opposing teams and North Ferriby, after their decent start to life in the National League, looked like being blown away after Aldershot had scored twice inside the first half-hour on Saturday.

But the visitors, who were joined by just 13 travelling fans on their long journey from the East Riding, made a fight of it in the second half and as Aldershot began to run out of steam in the clammy August heat, the Yorkshire side created some excellent chances of their own.

Aldershot’s confident, slick play for three- quarters of the game had their fans in raptures and they could easily have scored four rather than two before half-time.

The first half encapsulated Waddock’s attacking philosophy as the front three of Bernard Mensah, Matt McClure and Scott Rendell were given licence by a dominant midfield to inter-change at high pace, leaving their markers disorientated and confused.

The trigger-happy trio could all have scored before Aldershot did take the lead on 15 minutes. Busy right-back Cheye Alexander sent a cross winging beyond the far post and Mensah’s towering header looped over keeper Rory Watson to drop inside the opposite upright.

That header was all about placement. The goal that doubled the lead in the 26th minute was all about power as Josh Wakefield measured a cross that Liam Bellamy converted with a bullet header.

McClure, the pick of the Shots attackers, must have wondered how he failed to score in this half, particularly when the influential Anthony Straker set him up for a shot that was only kept out by a lucky deflection.

Aldershot began the second half with the best move of the game, Alexander playing a one-two with McClure whose deft cut-back left Rendell to shoot straight at Watson from close in.

North Ferriby continued to hold out as shots rained in from all angles, but the home team’s grip slackened as the torrid heat took its toll and the defence were given something to think about with the arrival of substitute Vinny Mukendi, a striker in the Peter Crouch mould who posed similar problems in the air.

Mukendi’s header from a Connor Robinson cross was only kept out by Mark Smith’s back-bending save.

Ryan Kendall, another substitute, missed two glorious chances to get the Villagers back into the game. He should have scored after breaking clear from halfway, only to be denied by the advancing Smith. Even more glaringly, Mukendi’s leaping flick put Kendall clear again and this time he scuffed his shot wide of an open goal.

Aldershot, however, finished as they had started as Alexander’s deflected drive was miraculously parried by Watson. The Shots were good value for their third successive home victory.

Waddock said: “We’ve got three points, two goals and a clean sheet, but we’re disappointed because we set our standards high. We’ve got to make sure we don’t give the opposition any hope.”

Aldershot: Smith; Alexander, Evans, Reynolds, Straker; Fenelon (Allen 58), Wakefield (Kellermann 69), Bellamy, Mensah (Arnold 78); Rendell, McClure. Sub (not used): Cole. Booked: Bellamy.

North Ferriby: Watson, Middleton, Gray, Slade, Hare, Oliver, Clarke, Russell, Bateson (Mukendi 57), Robinson (Kendall 69), Emerton (Fosu-Mensha 82). Subs (not used): Topliss, Fallowfield. Booked: Watson.

Referee: Samuel Allison.

Attendance: 1,527 (13 away).