Our regular away match reporter, Tim Pryor, was unable to make the Aldershot game so we bring you two reports from Exiles who attended and hope you enjoy them. 

Match report from Oliver South

Well, City travelled away for the first time this Christmas break, and a fair few City fans followed.

Aldershot started strong and the goal came from a corner resulting from a Billy Jones mis-control. The ball came across, shot came in, Jones failed to hold onto the ball and Aldershot scored the rebound.

Almost immediately Phillips hit the bar with a header from 10 yards, possibly should have done better. JC had a shot blocked by the defender at close range, and Taylor hit a good, but very difficult volley over the bar. Buckle had a few chances to shoot but seemed very shy to do so.

Quite frankly we looked like we could tear Aldershot apart at will, but defensively we were poor, all over the place really. As a result Aldershot really deserved their half time lead.

Second half and City came out and 'wanted' it more. As the game went on City dictated the play more and more. Great chances for Todd, Phillips, Mackie, Challinor etc all went begging. A blatant penalty on Phillips went unpunished and someone hit the bar again.

Aldershot had chances, and their best effort to end the contest came from a City backpass, but the striker and Jones (P) sorted it out.

Basically we were unlucky not to get a point, and positives can be taken from the match. We were undone by a side with 2 wingers, Stevenage employ the same tactic against us and we don't stretch our team to mark a winger hugging each touchline. It works against us time and time again.

Special mention to Nikki Bull (spells it like a girl), he was MOTM by a mile, he won Aldershot the game, and I daresay he had a point to prove.

The midfield was again the weakpoint. Buckle and Cronin are too similar, we need a player to put a foot on the ball and pass it. Phillips and Farrell worked hard, but are they TOO similar? Maybe.

Aldershot, for those that haven't been, well it's a noisy place, but avoid it if you hate drums and everything about being non-league. The ground is generally poor and it's like going on a skiing holiday walking down the path to the ground. And as per normal the locals gave us a 'lovely' send off at the station.

But this was better than the Hereford performance. The signs were there and the mood is positive. Not the best Christmas period, but the pressure seems to be getting to all the teams.

Match Report from Jason Harcourt

Firstly I would like to say that for a club with League aspirations, Aldershot as a club are a complete shambles when it comes to visiting supporters. As if the 6-mile hike uphill (with the floodlights becoming a hazy memory), followed by the nature trail isn't enough, the cobbled path down to the turnstiles is, to quote Lynn Faulds-Wood, "a potential death trap" - I nicknamed it "Val D'Isere".

Then, once you get into the ground through the (two) turnstiles, you are greeted by the sight of the converted ambulance doubling up as the catering (with ONE person serving) and the four portaloos. We got into the ground at shortly after 2:30 and it was only the intervention of a minutes' silence that prevented us from missing the kick-off by the time we eventually got our burger.

I thought Aldershot was a bit of a joke before when it came to facilities, now it has gone rapidly downhill. The only upside is that we now got the East Bank (where we were for the Trophy match a couple of years back), making for a wonderful atmosphere. This is also one place where the drummer(s) worked for the fans, as the drummers actually had some rhythm.

Anyway, the match...City lined up with the same starting XI as against Hereford, with the bench comprising Ricey, Santos, Robinson, Mackie and Flack.

City started brightly, with Lee Phillips in particular causing the Aldershot defence all sorts of problems. However, Aldershot soon settled and the match became a cracking encounter with chances at either end. While we looked mainly to the likes of Phillips and Challinor for inspiration, Aldershot used the wings, and in particular the tiny Williams, to carve us open. Finally the deadlock was broken, a corner not cleared, Jonesy could only parry a shot, and the ball eventually fell to Somner who rifled home.

Aldershot then played out most of the rest of the half in attack, and City were somewhat grateful to get to the half-time break one down.

The second half saw City give it a great effort, although Aldershot were very threatening on the break and could themselves have scored again but for some profligacy and nerves in front of goal.

Fate, or rather Mr R Lee, the ref, were to play a crucial part in deciding the eventual outcome. Phillips broke in the inside right channel, and was just about to pull the trigger when the defender shoved him in the back, sending him sprawling. Absolute stonewall penalty. But no, not according to Mr Lee. To say the City fans (and the City players) were apoplectic about the decision was the understatement of this young year.

What this did do, however, was spur City on to the best spell of the match, with one man - Aldershot keeper Nikki Bull - standing between us and a landslide victory. On three or four occasions he produced world class saves, and when he was beaten, the shots either went wide or over or, on one occasion, the crossbar came to his rescue.

Sensing they were clinging on to the game, Aldershot reverted to shameful time wasting and feigning injury - on one occasion, the Aldershot player's last rites were read, the coffin ordered and the church booked. He was led away to the sideline after an eternity, and from the resulting drop-ball the ball was kicked aimlessly by City out to the wing. Lo and behold the player had made a full recovery and had sprinted up the wing to try and head off the ball - he was booked for entering the field of play without permission.

You just sensed the goal wasn't going to come, and when only 5 minutes were added at the end (the 90 were up during the above incident), it seemed the fight had evaporated. A tense, exciting game that could have ended 6-6 finished with Aldershot claiming the points.

Player ratings:

Jones (P) - Possibly slightly at fault for the goal - hard to tell. Imposing presence otherwise. 7.

Jones (B) - Very good performance both defensively and going forward. Would like some more consistency with his delivery from corners. 7.

Woodards - Busy performance, had to deal with the threat of Williams and did so adequately. 6.

Todd - Solid and unspectacular as ever. 7.

Sawyer - Often left to deal with Sills, who is great in the air, Sawyer at times struggled but at other times looked decent. 6.

Challinor - Often the fulcrum of our attacks, linked up very well with the strikers, but to me still seems somewhat wasted out wide. 8.

Taylor - Anonymous until subbed by Mackie. 5.

Cronin - Looked good for a while in the first half, but faded badly and was replaced by Robinson. 5.

Buckle - Did well at first, but made some increasingly puzzling decisions with his passing. Could have shot in the first half instead of passing. Replaced near the end by Flack. 6.

Phillips - A man-mountain, Aldershot simply couldn't cope with him at all. How he didn't get a penalty or at least two goals is beyond me. MOM (and then some). 10.

Farrell - Worked pretty well with Phillips, also caused problems getting behind the defence. 8.

Subs:

Robinson (for Cronin) - Got involved well, mainly on the left. Looks at this early stage like a reasonable acquisition. 7.

Mackie (for Taylor) - Provided the width we were lacking with Taylor. I would say he needs to work on his awareness, as he was tending to try and take on too many players and losing it, or getting himself up cul-de-sacs - once this comes he'll be a decent player. 6.

Flack (for Buckle) - Thrown on late on as we desperately searched for an equaliser. 6.

Ref: Mr Lee blotted his copybook BIG TIME with the incredulous non-penalty, which was as clear a penalty as one could get. He was not helped by the nervous 12 year old lino, although the one at the far end looked decent. 3.

Fans: Spurred on by the general noisy atmosphere, City fans (certainly at 0-0) more than gave as good as they got. 8.

The views represented in these reports are those of the reporter and are not representative of Exeter City Football Club.