ALDERSHOT TOWN 0, MACCLESFIELD 3

A PALLID and sickly shadow of the side which smashed Barrow’s unbeaten home record just seven days previously, Aldershot Town gifted injury-hit Macclesfield Town a shockingly comfortable victory.

In merely accomplishing the basics of professional football – hard-work, organisation, desire and an ability to complete several passes in succession – The Silkmen were far too good for a Shots team enduring a horrible, dysfunctional afternoon.

A confident start for the home side lasted barely two minutes, and once they fell behind to Danny Rowe’s counter-attack goal they offered precious little in response, leaving manager Barry Smith to lament: “We were second best all over the park today. It’s a poor performance and this was not the standard that I have set or will accept.

“They worked harder than us, which isn’t acceptable, and it was extremely disappointing because we know we’re better than we showed. Macclesfield did extremely well but everyone had a bad day today.”

While Smith was right to retain a degree of perspective after winning four of their previous six games – reminding supporters that “I’m annoyed and angry at the performance but I don’t want to forget the run that we’ve been on” – the meek and compliant nature of the defeat will have been a worry to a manager whose ethos is built on commitment and work rate.

In just the third minute, Macclesfield broke out of defence and, having set the lively Chris Holroyd bursting over the halfway line and down the right, Rowe received a return pass to score from just six yards.

The visitors’ ease in possession was in stark contrast to The Shots, who struggled for cohesion all afternoon and mustered mere half-chances – Charlie Walker’s shot and header, Sam Hatton’s wildly-struck free-kick – in response. Phil Smith denied Kristian Dennis with a strong save on 38 minutes but was somewhat culpable three minutes later as Rowe somehow produced a fine turn and run along the byline to beat the goalkeeper with an acutely-angled shot at his near-post.

Any hopes substitute Rhys Browne had of galvanising his team into a thrilling comeback were extinguished on 56 minutes with Jake Gallagher’s red card for a needless lunge on the already-prone Rowe.

The Shots could have played all night and not unduly troubled Shwan Jalal in the Macclesfield goal, but Dennis put them out of their misery on 69 minutes, latching onto Danny Whitaker’s through ball to shoot across Smith into the bottom corner.

It sealed just a second away win of the season for The Silkmen, who had only been able to fill their bench with a limping midfielder and two emergency loan signings, but their trip to Hampshire provided a far greater tonic than they would have dared to hope for.

Consistency remains an elusive quality for Aldershot Town – and perhaps understandably so given the youth and nascent nature of the squad – but Fortress EBB must be rapidly re-established if The Shots are to consolidate their position in mid-table.

Aldershot Town: Smith; Alexander, Saville, Beckles, Anderton; Hatton (Browne 46), Stevenson, Gallagher, D Walker; C Walker (Lathrope 60), Brodie (Barnes-Homer). Subs (not used): Thomas, Harris.

Macclesfield Town: Jalal; Halls (Cowan 86), Diagne, Pilkington, Fitzpatrick; Holroyd, Whitehead, Whitaker, Rowe (Meikle 67); Dennis (Adarabioyo 82), Sampson. Subs: Branagan, Turnbull.

Attendance: 1,579.

n On Saturday, Aldershot Town make the long journey to south Devon to face a struggling Torquay United side who haven’t won for 10 games. The Plainmoor side this week named left-back Kevin Nicholson as their player-manager.