WREXHAM 0 ALDERSHOT TOWN 2

IT was entirely fitting that Wales provided the location for Gary Waddock to demonstrate once more why the green, green grass of home will suit him just fine for a while yet.

Hours after a Football League club tried to tempt him away to pastures new – only to be met with a flat refusal from both chairman Shahid Azeem and Waddock himself – the Shots’ boss led his team to a victory which proves that this long-term project may still achieve instant success.

In ending Wrexham’s six-game unbeaten run, Aldershot cruised towards an eighth match without defeat in impressive style to remain just two points outside the National League play-off places.

A below-par first half gave way to a superbly strong and stylish second period which brought a thoroughly deserved win, and Waddock admitted: “I can’t repeat what we said at half-time but the players took it on board and the second half was a very professional performance. We controlled the game for large spells.

“We needed to make sure that we were solid and then, as the game opened up, we could move the ball around and cause them problems,” he said of the switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation which eventually proved key in overcoming the hosts’ own diamond shape in midfield.

“Everybody will say some nice things about our second half, but it was only Jake Cole’s (36th minute) save which kept our clean sheet and that gave us the platform to build on.”

That save, to parry Paul Rutherford’s shot at point-blank range as he ran onto Russ Penn’s pull-back from the byline, was the highlight of an opening 45 minutes which had somewhat flattered to deceive.

Izle McLeod powered a header wastefully wide in just the third minute, but genuine chances, rather than ambitious long-range efforts, were scarce.

Wrexham spent much of the half offside and, after Scott Rendell and Bernard Mensah had brought relatively routine saves from Chris Dunn, the Shots emerged after the break a renewed force.

Kundai Benyu’s rising drive forced Dunn into more testing action and steadily the visitors wrested control.

On 71 minutes, Nick Arnold, playing his first game after three months out with an ankle injury – recycled his own corner-kick. Wrexham hacked Jim Kellermann’s shot away and Arnold’s inswinging cross was met with a flashing header by Rendell who had stolen in front of his marker. One-nil to the Shots.

Ten minutes later, another Arnold corner led to the second goal as the Dragons again failed to clear their lines. Callum Reynolds won a forceful header and the ball dropped invitingly for Kellermann to fire his first ever senior goal into the bottom corner from eight yards.

Even though this was the Shots’ first victory at the Racecourse Ground in 21 attempts, dating back to 1961, Waddock’s rapid dismissal of any historic significance perhaps gave a telling insight into why his stock continues to rise.

“Our run of form is great, but that’s gone. The run I want is one more win next Saturday. Then we’ll see where we go.”

Wrexham: Dunn; Lund (Barry 74), Riley, Tilt, Jennings; Carrington, Penn, Rutherford (Evans 74), Shenton (White 80); McLeod, Massanka. Subs (not used): Smith, Harry. Booked: McLeod, Lund.

Aldershot: Cole; Alexander, Evans, Reynolds, Arnold; Gallagher, Kellermann; Mensah (Fenelon 67), Benyu (Giles 88), Kanu; Rendell. Subs (not used): Smith, Buckley, McClure. Booked: Benyu, Arnold.

Referee: Scott Oldham.

Attendance: 4,308 (168 away).

Aldershot host Bromley this Saturday before travelling to Hampshire rivals Eastleigh on Tuesday.