All you need to know ahead of the clash against the Shots
WHERE? Officially the EBB Stadium at the Recreation Ground, to give it its full title. It’s been Aldershot’s home since it was opened in 1926. EBB are the Shots’ shirt sponsors, too. EBB are a paper company who have been associated with the club since 2008.
HOW DO I GET THERE? All of the usual modes of transport are acceptable. Car, train, bus, bike, plane, you name it. The trip is a relatively short one: just 57.9 miles, but it involves taking in the notorious M25 on a Tuesday night at rush hour. To get to the Rec, leave the M25 at junction 12 and take the M3. Leave the M3 and junction four, taking the A331 and then A323. If you need a little guidance from above (satellites, not God), type in GU11 1TW into your sat-nav to get your there safe and sound.
EXTRA TIME. We’ve been advised to notify all those lovely people who will be making the trip to the Rec to allow extra time before setting off for the game due to major works in Aldershot town centre on the A323 (Ash Road).
PAY ON THE NIGHT. Let’s fill the away end tonight by getting down to Aldershot and backing the Town. It’s easy, too. Once you’ve negotiated the motorway and got to Aldershot just turn up, pay your dosh on the turnstile and get in. It’s all very easy. Click here to find out much it’ll cost you – you can either sit down or stand up.
WHAT’S THE REC LIKE? The ground hasn’t changed much since the Town’s last visit in March 2009 of the minus-30 season. A small, 250-seat stand was opened behind the goal earlier this year, but Hatters fans will be located seats in the covered South Stand beside the pitch as well as terracing in the south-east corner of the ground. A good three-quarters of this section of terracing is under cover where even a handful of supporters can generate a racket.
HEAD-TO-HEAD. The Town have the upper hand when it comes to games against the Shots, winning 11 of the 20 meetings down the years. Aldershot won 2-1 the last time the two sides met at the Rec in March 2009 with Tom Craddock scoring the Hatters’ goal. In the 10 games between two clubs at Aldershot, the Town have won four, drawn three and lost three. The Hatters have won just one of their last five visits to the Hampshire venue and that came during a season they went onto win the Fourth Division championship. An Ian Buxton goal secured a 1-0 win in March 1968.
NEGATIVE UPTURN. Don’t let the league table fool you – the Shots are doing very well all things considered. Andy Scott’s side might sit one place off the foot of the table with eight points from 13 games but that only tells half the story. The Shots were deducted 10 points by the Football Conference before a ball was kicked, meaning without that deduction the club would be sitting in 14th place and just five points behind the Town. The Shots have been helped by a fine home record of four wins and two defeats from their six fixtures on home soil this season. Grimsby became the second side to win at the Rec on Saturday, winning 3-0.
THE EX-CONEXXION. The Town have two former Shots in their ranks in Anthony Charles and Luke Guttridge. Defender Charles spent three spells with the Shots, making over 200 appearances for the club, winning promotion and the Player of the Year award in 2009. Two years later Guttridge picked up that accolade. The midfielder scored 12 goals in 66 Football League appearances during his spell at the Recreation Ground. There’s a familiar name in the Aldershot squad, too. Defender Jake Goodman, who played 11 times for the Town last season has joined the Shots on loan from Millwall and has been an ever-present so far.
STILL SAYS: “Aldershot away is always, always tough. They’ll be organised and I don’t expect anything other than a tough game – like all the games we’ve had so far this season.
“I know Andy Scott and Terry Bullivant [the Shots’ manager and assistant] well. They’re good people who know what they’re doing.
“I always thought Aldershot would have a decent team. There’s a lot of players around and they’ve gone out and got decent players and a couple of good loans. So, like everyone, they’ll be competitive. It’s a competitive league. Whoever you play against, the team will have decent players who will be part to beat.”
TOWN TEAM NEWS. The Town boss has no fresh injuries worries ahead of the trip to the Rec. Still hinted that Alex Lawless maybe rested after he played 90 minutes on his return to action against Halifax on Saturday. Only defender Danny Fitzsimons is definitely ruled out with a knee injury.
LIVE & DIRECT. We’ll have all the news as it happens from the Recreation Ground. Pre-match build-up, team news, live text and audio commentary, a report, reaction, photographs and interviews. Remember to keep it lutontown.co.uk, Hatters Player for live commentary and check out our ever-growing Facebook and Twitter feeds for all the news as it happens. Plus keep an eye on our Instagram, Vine and YouTube accounts too for good measure for all the behind-the-scenes images and videos #COYH.