Aldershot Town 0, Chesterfield 2

ON an afternoon as predictable as it was depressing, defender Will Evans dealt his former team a potentially huge blow in their battle to stay in the National League.

Evans scored both goals to lift Chesterfield above their opponents in the bottom four and secure The Spireites’ first away win since the opening day of the season. The Shots are now without a win in 14 matches in all competitions and remain the division’s lowest scorers after their lacklustre attack was again exposed.

“I thought we played extremely well in the first half but in the second half we didn’t get anywhere near the levels of performance that we were looking for,” was manager Gary Waddock’s rather benevolent assessment. “The first goal is always crucial, but it was a cruel blow after we’d played so well, and we were unable to react.”

In reality, Aldershot Town rarely lifted themselves above the mediocre, despite the efforts of new signing John Goddard, the former Woking attacker who has joined from Swindon Town.

Goddard’s arrival coincided with the departure of assistant manager James Rowe, a surprise victim of the club’s ongoing cost-cutting measures which have also seen chief executive Laura Smith leave the EBB Stadium this month.

Waddock, though, remained phlegmatic in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary, and on Monday was also able to welcome back talismanic winger Bernard Mensah on loan from Bristol Rovers.

“We have some big challenges ahead. We have to get on with it and face those challenges head on,” considered Waddock after another dysfunctional display which saw his team compete for the first 44 minutes of a rather low-key game only to concede seconds before half-time and thereafter fail to rouse themselves.

Chesterfield midfielder Jonathan Smith mustered the only shot on target, saved by Will Mannion, as Gerry McDonagh, Luke Wanadio and Luke Howell all fired over for the hosts. Then, in the 45th minute, Will Evans met Curtis Weston’s corner with a firm header which found the bottom corner of the net.

Despite their own poor away record, the visitors knew that attack was the best form of defence, and after the break took the game to The Shots. Smith’s goalbound drive was deflected wide off his own team-mate before he soon skewed a great opportunity past the post. Right-back Bradley Barry drew a strong save from Mannion, and belatedly Aldershot Town enjoyed a brief foray into opposition territory.

Reece Grant saw a sliding effort smothered by Shwan Jalal, and then produced his own flying stop to parry Goddard’s swerving shot.

That, though, was as good as it got, and with 12 minutes remaining Evans sealed a vital victory. Mannion deserved better, as he superbly denied Marc-Antoine Fortune, but the ball fell straight to Evans, who coolly slotted in the rebound.

Jake Gallagher had to block Kyel Reid’s shot on the line to prevent a third in injury time, but Chesterfield had already done more than enough.

Seventeen games remain for Aldershot Town to rescue a season which began with such optimism but appears in grave danger of ending with a second relegation in six years.

Aldershot Town: Mannion; McCoy (Lelan 81), Bernard, Finney, Booty; Gallagher, McDonnell (McClure 83); Wanadio, Howell (Grant 64), Goddard; McDonagh. Subs (not used): Bozier.

Chesterfield: Jalal; Barry (Rowley 89), Evans, Hollis, Binnom-Williams; Smith, Weir, Weston; Shaw, Fortune (Denton 87), Kiwomya (Reid 79). Subs (not used): Anyon, Beestin.

Attendance: 2,120.