After Tuesday's superb win at Chesterfield, Wrexham will go in hunt of a fourth consecutive win against Aldershot.

Ollie Palmer's goals earned victory at Chesterfield which, following on from the drama at Wealdstone and witnessed by a sold-out away end, added to the positive momentum developing at The Racecourse. The return of Paul Mullin from suspension will further aid the mood, but Phil Parkinson's side need to keep the feel-good atmosphere going by capitalising on a run of 3 home games in 11 days.

The first of that trio sees Aldershot Town come to town looking to make amends for their difficulties against Wrexham earlier this season. The sides clashed in Hampshire in early October, and Wrexham cantered to a 2-0 lead just after the break through goals from Jake Hyde and Mullin. However, the game was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch, despite the efforts of the Wrexham players to remove surface water from the pitch as the groundstaff looked on.

The game was rearranged for a month later, and the visitors were as ruthless as they had been first time round. Aaron Hayden and Harry Lennon scored to replicate the 2-0 half time score from the aborted clash, and the Red Dragons didn't let up after the break. Reece Hall-Johnson and Jordan Davies struck, but pride of place went to a magnificent strike from Jordan Ponticelli, set up by James Jones' sumptuous assist.

Aldershot's home record has barely improved since then - they won back-to-back home games after the 5-0 defeat but they remain the only league victories they've enjoyed on their own patch. However, away from home they're a different proposition. The Shots have racked up an impressive six league wins on the road, mostly by being ruthless against teams who are struggling. They've won away against each of the bottom three, and punished Southend at Roots Hall during the Essex side's rocky start to the campaign. Their most impressive win on the road was a 3-0 demolition of Eastleigh in December.

Mark Molesley bolstered his squad in January with a couple of interesting loan signings. Midfielder Sam Matthews was extremely impressive for Eastleigh when they scored a last minute equaliser against Andy Davies' Wrexham side in April 2018. His promise led to a move into the Football League with Crawley, but an injury stalled his 2021-22 season as he damaged his shoulder on the opening day of the season, and he has arrived at Aldershot to get more pitch time under his belt. 

Jamaican international goalkeeper Dillon Barnes has arrived on loan from QPR and kept a clean sheet in his second appearance for The Shots in midweek as they played out a goalless draw with bottom side Dover Athletic.

Wrexham's Record Against Aldershot Town

Until recently, we dominated this fixture at home, but Aldershot have started to enjoy more success lately, improving their poor record at The Racecourse.

We’ve only won 2 of our last 5 home matches against Aldershot: last season, when a typically fine strike by Luke Young was the only goal, and in September 2018, when second half goals by Stuart Beavon and Jordan Maguire-Drew earned a 2-0 win.

Scott Quigley’s double at The Racecourse in February 2018 earned us a 2-2 draw against The Shots, ending a run of three consecutive 2-0 defeats against them. Previous to those games we’d won four and drawn one of our encounters in the fifth tier.

Our home defeat in February 2017 was the first time Aldershot won in North Wales, at their 21^st attempt.

They also won 2-1 at The Racecourse in January 2020, despite an injury time consolation by JJ Hooper, so our only two home defeats to The Shots came in our last 5 games against them.

We’ve enjoyed 18 wins against them at The Racecourse, managing a 4-0 win on three occasions, drawing 5 and losing 2.

We got off to a terrific start in this fixture as we won our first seven clashes with The Shots at The Racecourse, and we’ve built on that since. Of the 15 clean sheets we’ve kept against Aldershot, 11 came at The Racecourse. Indeed, on their 25 trips to North Wales, the side from Hampshire have only scored more than one goal 5 times, but be warned: each of those occasions came in their last 8 matches here.

In September 1990 we went behind early on when Alan Kennedy put through his own net, but we swiftly took control. Andy Thackeray equalised, Graham Cooper grabbed a couple of goals after the break and Gary Worthington got a fourth in the last ten minutes. A late Aldershot goal was a mere consolation.

The previous season a late Aldershot goal was rather more important. Worthington had scored the only goal of the first half, and in a dramatic start to the second period The Shots equalised only to see Ollie Kearns swiftly put us back in front. However, a young Steve Claridge popped up to hit an equaliser which earned the visitors a draw.

Our best score line against The Shots is 4-0, and oddly we’ve done it three times with a hat trick scored each time! Martyn King got the ball rolling in October 1964, Sam McMillan repeated the feat almost exactly a year to the day later, and Dave Smallman completed a hat trick of hat tricks in March 1975.

With four goals, Smallman is our top scorer against Aldershot. Joining King and McMillan one goal behind Smallman are Ray Smith and Arfon Griffiths.

Potential Milestones

Liam McAlinden’s 250^th career league appearance.

Callum McFadzean's 225th career appearance.

Dan Jarvis’ 50^th career appearance.