The Hatters returned to SK3, following three successive matches in different competitions on the road, but the homecoming saw them bow out to Aldershot in their FA Cup Second Round replay.
In a tie selected for live television coverage at Edgeley Park for the second year running at the same replay-stage of the Cup, substitute Olly Scott drove home the only goal in the closing stages to earn the ‘Shots’ a deserved trip to League One West Bromwich Albion in the Third Round and leave County without a win for six games in all competitions.
County took to the field on a mild mid-December Wednesday night, and showing just one change from the League Two starting line-up at Morecambe over the rather stormier, preceding weekend – with Callum Camps replacing the injured Antoni Sarcevic. The National League visitors, meanwhile, left unaltered the 11 that had begun the original tie in Hampshire 10 days previously.
The Hatters struck the inaugural shot of the night with just over a minute on the clock, as Kyle Wootton cleared the crossbar. And five minutes later, Camps tested visiting goalkeeper, Jordi van Stappershoef, who dived to parry the midfielder’s effort from distance.
Aldershot’s first attempt on goal was fashioned after 17 minutes – courtesy of Tyler Frost, whose low drive from the edge of the area was gathered up by Ben Hinchliffe. And County’s Number One was called into action again five minutes later to chest away a shot from Jack Barham, following good work on the left by Josh Stokes whose brace at the Recreation Ground earlier in the month had earned his side the replay.
At the other end, Camps danced his way into the box and unleashed a shot from the left that van Stappershoef did well to block. And a corner from the same Hatter on the opposite flank found skipper Paddy Madden, who headed beyond the far post.
Five minutes ahead of the break, County had the ball in the net as Tanto Olaofe headed home a Macauley Southam-Hales cross from the right – only to have mistimed his run and be flagged offside.
HALF-TIME: County 0, Aldershot 0.
The Shots created the first chance of the new half, just a minute or so after the resumption, as Barham connected with Ryan Glover’s delivery from the left to head towards goal – but Hinchliffe caught the attempt cleanly.
Half a dozen minutes later, Lorent Tolaj half-volleyed narrowly wide of the left post. And, just after the hour, Hinchliffe used his feet and hands in quick succession respectively to keep out close-range efforts from Stokes and Tolaj.
At the other end, a County attack saw Olaofe play Jayden Richardson through on goal – only for van Stappershoef to advance off his line and claim the ball before the newly-arrived substitute.
With two minutes remaining, it was left to another recently-introduced player to make a more telling, and ultimately the decisive, contribution, as Scott fired into County’s net after a long throw from the right by Haji Mnoga had led to a goalmouth scramble.
FULL-TIME: County 0, Aldershot 1 (Scott, 88).
Team (4-1-2-1-2): Hinchliffe; Southam-Hales (Knoyle, 53), Horsfall, Pye, Touray (Byrne, 90 + 2); Croasdale (Wright, 74); Camps, Bailey (Richardson, 74); Madden (Capt.); Olaofe, Wootton.
Unused Subs: Smith, Cotterill, Pond, Mee, Johnson.
Booked: Camps, Knoyle.
Attendance: 2,855 (274 away).
Reporter: Gareth Evans.
Photographer: Mike Petch.
