Aldershot v Bristol Rovers, Saturday February 4th, kick off 3pm.
This weekend Bristol Rovers take the relatively short trip to Hampshire to play an Aldershot Town team who are in 18th place in the table 2 points behind Rovers but with a game in hand.
Aldershot's 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon last week was their first win in 7 starts, a run which had seen 4 defeats and just 2 draws to pick up 2 of the 18 points on offer.
Rovers recent run of form has seen them climbing towards mid-table safety and new Manager Mark McGhee has found himself having to quash expectations for a run at the Play Off positions from excited Godheads.
Rovers last remarkable promotion run where they climbed into the Play Off spot on the last day of the season came in very unlikely circumstances but did indicate what was possible with a team on a run of form.
Meanwhile Aldershot has experienced the ending of a drought as they scored their first goal in 575 minutes of football at AFC Wimbledon last week. The lean spell ended in somewhat bizarre circumstances, away from home with two goals from a full back.
It took just 12 minutes for Anthony Straker to play a one-two with Guy Madjo before planting a left-footed strike inside the near post, aided by a slight deflection off Mat Mitchel-King.
AFC Wimbledon hit back on 28 minutes when Sammy Moore's free kick from outside the area flew past Ross Worner, again taking a slight deflection, this one off Ben Herd in the Shots wall.
On 70 minutes, Staker did it again. Danny Hylton pushed a ball along the left hand side to find Straker who hit in a shot from a narrow angle past Seb Brown in the Wombles goal.
Shots Boss Dean Holdsworth reflected after the game, "We've suffered of late and I've learnt so much as a manager over the last four or five weeks.
"About football, about desire and about commitment from individuals and players and it's good when you're having a good time everyone wants to give you a pat on the back and come to the game and the last month has been tough for everybody.
"I've learnt that the importance of confidence is to keep doing the right things and believing in what we do is right. It's been a long time coming and it was a fantastic atmosphere that our fans got and we gave them the result and the performance that they wanted.
"The players did their jobs today. We got the rub of the green today, but I thought we deserved the result by a country mile."
Speaking about the pressure of expectation from the preseason goal of making the Play Offs Holdsworth said, "I'll always put pressure on myself. I won't stop because I want to achieve something.
"Achieving League status for this club where we started this year off the pitch and on it is a massive achievement.
"Lets not underestimate that we want a bit more; we've had a massive cup run, we've made the club money, we've sold players this year, but success is what our goals are and our goal is League status it must be.
"Behind the scenes I haven't got a say what's going on, but we will be in a better position by the end of the year as long as we are in the League."
Looking at the previous meetings between the two clubs reveals that Rovers' record at the Recreation Ground is quite a good one with 8 victories and 4 draws in the 21 games played there.
The last time the teams met in Hampshire was an FA Cup game back on 17 November 2001, the teams drew 0-0 at the Rec and Rovers won the replay 1-0 ten days later.
The very first game between the Rovers and the Shots took place on Boxing Day 1932 at the Rec where the home team ran out 1-0 victors.
Rovers gained almost immediate revenge with a 4-1 win the following day. The teams also clashed in the Third Round of the F.A. Cup that season and the Shots repeated the 1-0 home win.
Rovers generally had the better of the clashes against their Hampshire rivals in the years leading up to the War but there were a few big reversals. On 7 December 1935 Aldershot ran out 6-1 winners and the following season won 4-0.
In the years since the War it is Rovers who have dominated in the fixtures and have had some stunning victories.
On 29 March 1943, goals by Vic Lambden (4), Jackie Pitt (2) and Barry Watkins gave the Eastville team a 7-1 win. They also beat the Shots 5-1 (three times) and 4-1, Vic Lambden scored in all these games!
Rovers' last win in the garrison town was on 21 January 1989 when Gary Penrice (2) and Ian Holloway scored to give Rovers a 3-1 away win.
Anthony Straker's recent goal scoring feats has brought him to the attention of Championship clubs. The 23 year old Grenadian international has made over 150 appearances and is in the final six months of his contract and has yet to agree an extension, alerting Watford and Peterborough.
Aldershot would hate to lose Straker, but a big-money offer could see him playing at a higher level. Last week winger Jermaine McGlashan left to join Cheltenham Town.
Adam Mekki has been recalled from a loan to replace him and commented, "They're big shoes to fill. Jermaine was a real crowd-pleaser, and worked hard in training. I'll just get my head down and work hard and take whatever comes to me."
Having played in the Blue Square Bet South for both Basingstoke and Dorchester he noted, "The physicality of Conference South has made me toughen up completely.
"You don't get much time on the ball. And you always come up against big, strong opponents, so you've got to deal with it best as you can."
Dean Holdsworth sees this as a golden chance for Mekki to prove himself, "I think it's a great opportunity when a player goes. Adam Mekki will be a serious player if he carries on in the progression that I've seen since I came to the club. He's got the potential to be a real star."
But Mekki is not getting ahead of himself, "The manager knows best. If he needs to send me out on loan, he'll send me out. If he plays me, he plays me. I just want to stay fit and stay in contention for Aldershot, and hopefully come on and score a few goals for the club."
Rovers will be hoping that neither Mekki nor Staker will wearing their scoring boots on Saturday. The recent defensive tightening up has led to much better results and a subsequent climb up the table.
A third successive away win would be a feat that has not been achieved for many years.
Written by Gerry Prewett.
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