Aldershot & Farnham 4, Wimborne 4

ALDERSHOT & Farnham and Wimborne Wayfarers shared the points in a highly-entertaining game at Heath End last Saturday.

A&F were slow to get going and with their basics letting them down it was Wimborne who had the better of the opening exchanges.

And it was Wimborne took the lead on 15 minutes. A trip by Joe Whelan left him out of position, while a rash lunge by Ed Rushmere meant Wimborne opened up space on the right flank and moved into a position to win a short corner, which was expertly dispatched with a drag flick into the net.

A&F hit back hard, though, and scored two goals in quick succession, both from short corner drag flicks. Jamie Weston put the first one to the left which went straight in and the second to the right which a diving Ian Metcalfe got a slight deflection to.

Things almost got even better for A&F but Jonny Groves was denied by the left mitt of the Wimborne goalkeeper after a good attempt on the reverse from close range.

And Wimborne levelled the scores as A&F lost their defensive shape and a good finish from 14 yards nicked in off the right upright.

A positive start to the second half by Aldershot & Farnham saw them win a short corner almost immediately. Livewire Rob Jervis was particularly influential on the right side of midfield throughout but his short corner injections were a little wayward on several occasions. In this instance, Groves recovered the situation and with a touch on the way through, Jervis was himself left with a simple tap in on the far post to restore the home side’s lead.

A&F’s discipline was excellent throughout and pivotal to them coming away from the game with a point. Wimborne, on the other hand, became increasingly agitated and earned themselves several cards for both back chat and wild challenges.

Wimborne perhaps possessed greater individual skill and a big arcing dribble and flick into the net by their forward restored parity before a nice passing move opened up A&F and a finish across the goal turned the game on its head once more.

But Aldershot & Farnham remained positive and from another scrappy short corner Metcalfe levelled the game at 4-4.

Further attacks from either side came to nothing but A&F had to hold their collective breaths as Wimborne won a short corner virtually on the final whistle, but unlike the heartbreak suffered on the opening weekend when the same situation saw the game snatched from them, this time they cleared the danger.

There were plenty of positives for A&F, not least the performances of the three teenagers in the back line. Ewan Hammond, at right back, offered plenty in both defence and attacking runs, Weston was a real presence at sweeper, and Whelan, normally found in the midfield, did a great job at centre back.

Aldershot & Farnham: Hall, Hammond, Weston, Whelan, E Rushmere, Jervis, Thompson, P Rushmere, Groves, Metcalfe, Powell, Long, Harrison.