Official Match Thread Aldershot Town v Southend United

[The Big Dady]

The Official Match Thread brought to you by ShrimperZone.com

So here we all are, our thirteenth away game in the Vanarama National League of the 2021/22 season. This is the Dream Team’s 8th away game since they were appointed at the Mighty Shrimpers.

Our 13th away match is against Aldershot Town.



It is now time for ALL of us to get behind Kevin, Darren, Mark and the team whether you are at The EBB Stadium (Recreation Ground), listening on BBC Essex radio, or listening on Blues TV.

The Dream Team’s Southend United Vanarama National League Away Team against Aldershot Town.



The EBB Stadium (Recreation Ground) is ready for action at 19.45 hrs Tuesday 25th January 2022. It looks like it will be light cloud cover with a light wind for this evening’s game. It will feel very cold with an expected temperature of 2°


Nice to see the floodlights are on at The EBB Stadium and working (at the moment)



The weather forecast for this evening at the The EBB Stadium (Recreation Ground).



Current National League away record after 12 away games

Won 3
Drawn 2
Lost 7
Goals scored 7
Goals conceded 17

League Positions Last Season

23rd (2020/21) EFL League Two Southend United (Relegated)
15th (2020/21) Vanarama National League Aldershot Town

League Positions Current Season

17th (2021/22) Vanarama National League Aldershot Town
18th (2021/22) Vanarama National League Southend United

Recent League Positions Change



Previous Meetings

Aldershot Town 0-2 Southend United (L2 16/04/13 Att. 2,568)
Southend United 1-2 Aldershot Town (L2 23/10/12 Att. 4,225)
Southend United 0-1 Aldershot Town (L2 20/03/12 Att. 4,580)
Aldershot Town 2-0 Southend United (L2 21/02/12 Att. 2,949)
Southend United 0-0 Aldershot Town (L2 02/04/11 Att. 5,557)

Head to Head record

Southend United Wins: 1
Draws: 1
Aldershot Town Wins: 4

Current Form

Southend United L D W W W
Aldershot Town D L W D D

Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Managers Pre-match Views​

Aldershot Town

Aldershot Town Manager Mark Molesley

This is a weird recent interview with Mark Molesley (But made me laugh)

https://twitter.com/x/status/1482291939055702022

Southend United

Kevin Maher speaks to Blues TV ahead of this evening’s game against Aldershot Town

Kevin Maher during his interview on Blues TV​

Link to interview
Link

https://twitter.com/x/status/1485965395278372869

Kevin Maher speaks to Chris Phillips at The Echo ahead of this evening’s game against Aldershot Town

Southend United boss Kevin Maher feels ex Blues manager Mark Molesley has made Aldershot tough to beat

Going head to head - Kevin Maher's Southend United take on Mark Molesley's Aldershot on Tuesday night​

Southend United boss Kevin Maher feels former Blues manager Mark Molesley will make Aldershot tough to beat on Tuesday night.

Molesley has won seven of his 20 games in charge of the Shots since being appointed in September.

And Maher is bracing himself for another tough test at the EBB Stadium.

“We’ve watched them play and you can tell they’re very well coached,” said Maher.

“Mark has got them going well and he’s a really good guy.

“I’ve met him once or twice with the 23s and people here say the same about him.

“But we will have to be on it to get a result and we can’t afford to drop off at all.

“I’ve been to one or two of their games and they’re always organised so this will be a real test but it’s one we’re looking forward too.”

Molesley bossed Blues between August 2020 and April 2021 but won just eight times in 45 outings during a difficult time in the club’s history.

The 40-year-old is now looking to rebuild his managerial career with Aldershot and the early signs have been promising.

But, just like Aldershot, Blues have also started to improve in recent weeks and go into this evening’s game off the back of three straight wins.

However, Maher is not reading too much into the recent results.

“We’re in decent form but nobody is getting carried away,” said Maher.

“We’ve got some decent results by doing the basics right and doing things to the highest standard with and without the ball.

“We have to keep that going because it’s easy to come off it and then come unstuck.

“We’re delighted with the three wins but there’s a lot of work to do.

“Aldershot will be a tough game and we will need to be organised going there.

“They had a good result at the weekend too, drawing at Chesterfield, so it’s a tough game but it’s one we will be ready for.”

Blues’ wins have taken them to 18th in the table, just one place and one point behind Aldershot with two games in hand.

The Shrimpers have right-back Jason Demetriou available again after he missed Friday’s 2-1 win against King’s Lynn with a one match ban.

And Maher is pleased with the added competition for places.

“We’re in a better place now than when we came in back in October,” said the Blues boss.

“There’s good healthy competition now and that’s good for everyone.”

Full text can be found here:-
Link

The Big Preview

Aldershot Town v Southend United

​

Overview

Southend United head to Aldershot Town this evening, as both sides set their sights on putting further distance between themselves and the relegation zone.

The two teams currently sit side-by-side in the National League table, the Shots just one league place and one point better off than Kevin Maher’s outfit.

And with morale high in Blues’ camp going into the fixture, the visitors will have every confidence that they can leapfrog their opposition, who are managed by former Southend boss Mark Molesley.

But Blues don’t have such a kind recent history against the Shots, having emerged victors just once in their last seven meetings.

Their most recent clash saw Southend hand Aldershot their first league victory of the season, back in September as then led by Danny Searle, the visiting Shots stormed Roots Hall with a 3-2 victory; Maher’s side will be eager to avoid a repeat of previous proceedings.

The Opposition:

Molesley’s appointment proved pivotal in the Shots’ survival hopes, and parallels can be drawn with the way he has set his side up to how he set up with Blues just last season.

Building from the back, Aldershot have stabilised their largest area of concern, defence.

And whilst they still struggle for goals, their endeavour has seen them pick up plenty of points in their last 15 outings to see them away from immediate danger of the drop zone.

But the Shots were dealt the difficult blow of a triple outgoing earlier in the month, goalkeeper Laurie Walker, midfielder Scott Wagstaff and influential striker Corie Andrews all left, the latter having netted nine goals in 20 matches.

So Molesley will have to plug the holes that their departing custodians left, and given the situation he inherited, survival would be a job well done for the ex-Blues boss.

Form:

Both sides have seen a similar upturn in fortunes in recent weeks, but while Maher’s side seem to be on the crest of a wave, the Shots have stuttered just a little.

Blues have won all of their last three league matches, while also losing just one of their last seven in the National League.

Scoring was the issue for Southend for much of the season, but now, you have to date back to mid-November for when they last failed to score in a league match.

And right in-form for Blues is attacker Matt Dennis, who has scored four goals in his last six outings.

Towards the end of 2021, the Shots enjoyed a great spell of form which saw them win six out of five matches. (Mark Molesley must be performing miracles)

But Molesley’s side have fallen off somewhat, having won just one of their last six matches in all competitions.

However, tonight’s hosts have recently faced tough opposition and drew Chesterfield out to a 0-0 stalemate last time out, so will prove sturdy opposition for Blues.

From The Boss:

"We’re delighted with the three wins but there’s a lot of work to do,” said Maher.

"It will be a tough game and we will need to be organised going there.

"They had a good result at the weekend too so it’s a tough game but it’s one we will be ready for.

"We’ve watched them play, I’ve been to one or two of their games as well and they’re organised.

"You can tell they’re very well coached, Mark (Molesley) has got them going well and he’s a really good guy.

"I’ve met him once or twice with the U23s [previously] and people here say the same about him, we will have to be on it to get a result and we can’t afford to drop off at all.

"We’re in decent form but nobody is getting carried away.

"We’ve got some decent results by doing the basics right and doing things to the highest standard with and without the ball.

"We’re in a better place now than when we came in back in October. There’s good healthy competition now and that’s good for everyone."

Blues’ Team News:

Jason Demetriou is back available for selection after seeing out his one match suspension last time out.

Will Atkinson signed a contract extension until the end of the current season and again will be available at Maher’s disposal.

Jack Bridge is stepping up his return from injury, he is not yet ready for first team action but could feature in Blues’ Premier League Cup match against Colchester United.

James Dunne, Abu Ogogo, Rhys Murphy and Simeon Akinola all remain out.

Ref Watch:

Aji Ajibola will be calling the shots at the EBB Stadium this evening.

Ajibola will be refereeing his first ever National League fixture, after previously being the man in the middle at lower levels.

Coincidentally, tonight’s referee was fourth official at Roots Hall in Blues’ reverse fixture against the Shots, when they fell to a 3-2 defeat.

Lee Hartley and Farai Hallam will assist Ajibola, while Howard Collins will be fourth official.

Elsewhere in the National League:

Bromley v Woking

Dover Athletic v Eastleigh

FC Halifax v Boreham Wood

Stockport County v Maidenhead United

Torquay United v Solihull Moors

Wealdstone v Notts County

Weymouth v Dagenham and Redbridge

Wrexham v Grimsby Town

How to Follow:

Blues fans unable to attend the EBB Stadium will still be able to follow all the live action by subscribing to Blues TV where you’ll get live match commentary from the BBC Essex team from all first-team matches this season.

Blues TV costs £4.49 per month or a one-off cost of £45 for the season, with your subscription not only giving you match commentary, but also exclusive access to extended match highlights, full pre-match press conferences, interviews, features and more.

You can also follow live minute-by-minute updates on social media via the Club’s official Twitter account by following @SUFCRootsHall on Twitter, which will ensure you get all the latest news and more throughout the 2021/22 season.

Full text can be found here:-
Link

This is Aldershot Town’s first match under their temperamental floodlights in 2022 this evening, hope they have put enough money in the meter this time.

Come On You Blues!​

 

[The Big Dady]

Aldershot Town Team

​

 

[The Big Dady]

One change from Friday.

Husin replaces Dennis who is out with hamstring injury

 

[SHRIMPERPETER]

3-5-2 by the look of it then?

 

[Floval Flyer]

No Matty D !!

Damn

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Great shame no Dennis let's hope we can deal with him not playing

 

[RHB]

Anyone got a BBC Essex internet link for this, pretty please?

 

[gatecrasher]

Matty Dennis is a big loss, Boys been colossus the last 5 games or so. Having Noor softens the blow somewhat and I fancy us to get at least a point if not all 3 against old PE Teacher Pete! Wonder if he still has a backroom of 400 at Aldershot

 

[lreed567]

Anyone got a BBC Essex internet link for this, pretty please?

BBC Radio Essex – Listen Live

Listen live to BBC Radio Essex, a radio station based in Chelmsford, England, UK that primarily broadcasts Mixed Format 24/7.

radio-live-uk.com

Think this should work ?

 

[Cricko]

Anyone got a BBC Essex internet link for this, pretty please?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/59955421

 

[RHB]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/football/59955421

Cheers John. Even though radio commentaries irritate me, not being able to listen at all would be far worse. COYB

 

[The Big Dady]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1486050895561433091

 

[leeblue]

No Dennis....

 

[Sammy Shrimper]

£20 entrance and you get a stinking portaloo for a pee. Let’s hope they have plenty of credit on the electric meter.
Come on you Shrimpers !!!

 

[Callum]

Can’t we just have 11 Dennis in the squad

 

[RHB]

Can’t we just have 11 Dennis in the squad

And we would get stuffed every week if we did, attacking though it may be.

 

[Strykr]

Should be interesting as dalby and cardwell seem quite similar in terms of playing style. Hopefully something will click

 

[The Big Dady]

Official Team Sheet

​

 

[Strykr]

Official Team Sheet

View attachment 18544​

I wish theyd put the players in playing order and not squad number like the old days.

#oldmanrant