Moors left Wembley with an overwhelming sense of pride despite falling to defeat to National League side Aldershot Town in the FA Trophy Final on Non-League Finals Day.
Goals from Jack Barnham, Dan Ellison and Josh Barrett were enough to see The Shots carve their name on the trophy at end of an unforgettable day in the capital.
Moors had started the game the stronger of the two sides on a baking hot day at Wembley. However, Graeme Lee’s side saw two first half chance go begging and ended up paying the price.
Glen Taylor, celebrating his 35th birthday, tried his luck first with an audacious overhead effort which was claimed by Marcus Dewhurst’s gloves, before Corey McKeown fired over from the edge of the area with a curling strike.
Rob Ramshaw did well to get away down the left-hand side on the 19th minute, as the midfielder managed to cut a ball back into the path of Taylor. The front man left the ball to Junior Mondal on the edge of the area, only for a Shots man to get in the way and clear.
Moors had started the game well and came mightily close to taking lead midway through the first half when they caught Aldershot on the break.
A smart counterattack saw Finley Shrimpton sprint clear down the right, before driving into the penalty area. The loanee’s ball across the face of goal found Ramshaw, but the Moors number 10 just couldn’t get enough power on his shot from 10 yards, and it was gratefully gathered by Dewhurst.
However, Brad James was called into action just a minute later at the other end, as he brilliantly denied Josh Barrett at full stretch. The Shots man found space on the edge before dispatching a curled effort goalward, which James did well to stop away to his left.
Both sides saw half chances come and go before half time, as McKeown dragged an effort wide of the upright, before Barrett had another strike saved by James in the Moors net.
That meant the game was level at half time, with both managers being able to take positives from their sides’ first half displays.
This didn’t last long sadly, as Aldershot broke the deadlock just three minutes after the restart. A quick counterattack from Tommy Widdrington’s men saw them break down the right, before the ball found Barham in the middle of the penalty area. The number 22 made no mistake, calmly sweeping home from close range.
The Shots, now a goal up, continued to bear down on the Moors goal, as Barrett saw two opportunities in quick succession. His first effort bobbled wide from the edge of the area, only for his second to be impressively blocked by loanee Olly Dyson.
Dan Ellison headed The Shots their second goal on the 70th minute, as his glanced header at the front post from a left-wing corner found the net to double their lead.
Graeme Lee’s men had some real work to do if they wanted to salvage their FA Trophy hopes. Shrimpton desperately tried to get Moors back into the game with 10 minutes left on the clock, as he wriggled around the edge of the area. His strike, however, was well blocked.
Despite Moors’ best efforts, Aldershot clinched their victory three minutes from time. Barrett’s emphatic volleyed finish flew into the back of the net after it sat up nicely for him on the edge of the area to send The Shots’ fans into raptures.
Substitute goalkeeper, Ryan Johnson, entered the field on the 92nd minute and was immediately called into action as he denied Maxwell Mullins from close range.
Another substitute, Aidan Rutledge, looked to find a consolation goal in the dying embers, but his well struck, curled effort was well saved by goalkeeper Jordi Van Stappershoef, who had been subbed on just a few minutes prior.
Full Time: Aldershot 3 Moors 0
Aldershot Town: Dewhurst (Van Stappershoef 89), Widdrington, Frost (Scott 90+2), Barrett, Jones, Barham (Thomas 73), Henry (Mullins 81), Woodhouse, Teteil (Corbett 57), Ellison, Armitage
Subs not used: Bray, Ghandour
Moors: James (Johnson 90+2), Dyson, Ledger, Beals (Rowe 83), Staunton, Dolan (Ross 82), Shrimpton, Mondal (Rutledge 68), Ramshaw, McKeown (Harris 74), Taylor
Subs not used: Simpson, Myers
Booked: Taylor (66)
Referee: Lewis Smith
Attendance: 38,600
Match Report: Noah Betts
