Just back (to the car)

Quoted from GrimRob

Very unprofessional of LJL to get sent off. He had a long talking to from the ref for arguing about an offside decision then 5 minutes later gave the ref a chance to book him. He should have stayed squeaky clean from this point, no need to make tackles because he's a forward or open his mouth. The daft thing is the challenge was on the touchline near the dugout, about as far from danger as it's possible to be in your own half. The ref was obviously itching to get rid of him but he gave him the reason to do so.

Too true. There have been too many unnecessary bookings this season already.

In his interview, Hurst seems to think that LJL's second yellow wasn't even a foul. Just a shoulder charge which the referee wrongly penalised. It will be interesting to see highlights if possible to see how accurate an assessment this is (hopefully Aldershot will stick some up on YouTube!).

"Sending-Off was a complete joke & ruined the game as far as a contest was concerned.
First yellow was soft (maybe for a bit of verbal....ffs get over it ref), but the second was never a yellow card in a million years.
It was right in front of me in the North Bank, he just muscled Fitchett off the ball..thats all, there was nothing malicious about it, he didn't take out someone who was through on goal..It was just a foul, the kind you see day-in and day-out and no way did it deserve to be a yellow card."

From an Aldershot fan!

Quoted from mariner91

"Sending-Off was a complete joke & ruined the game as far as a contest was concerned.
First yellow was soft (maybe for a bit of verbal....ffs get over it ref), but the second was never a yellow card in a million years.
It was right in front of me in the North Bank, he just muscled Fitchett off the ball..thats all, there was nothing malicious about it, he didn't take out someone who was through on goal..It was just a foul, the kind you see day-in and day-out and no way did it deserve to be a yellow card."

From an Aldershot fan!

The Aldershot commentators seemed to think it was very harsh too. The first booking was for dissent, so that's Lenny's fault, but they said the free kick he was complaining about was never a foul and he was extremely unlucky.

Think it has all been said really.  I fear for Aldershot as apart from Williams taking his chances they were very poor indeed.  We should of been comfortably ahead before LJL got sent off but didn't quite get the breaks/finish that we have been getting for the 2 previous games.  

Certainly think the ref was very poor and the Aldershot players got away with as much as LJL got his 2 yellows for without even fouls.  But I do think we were silly in giving the ref the chance to get his cards out.  LJL didn't need to make a challenge at all so why on a yellow give the ref a chance?  And I appreciate the passion Pearson shows but why did he kick the ball away? It was so pointless and led to another inevitable yellow.  We need to be more disciplined and show aggression in the right areas.  

Do have to sing the praises of Scott Brown once more though, works so hard and uses the ball so well.  I am surprised he didn't get a yellow today as he is very aggressive but unlike others in the right areas.

Overall I am not as down as I might have been after a defeat as we looked like we wanted to carry on the positive intent of the past few games and as long as we play like that we will do well IMO.  

Quoted from mariner91

"Sending-Off was a complete joke & ruined the game as far as a contest was concerned.
First yellow was soft (maybe for a bit of verbal....ffs get over it ref), but the second was never a yellow card in a million years.
It was right in front of me in the North Bank, he just muscled Fitchett off the ball..thats all, there was nothing malicious about it, he didn't take out someone who was through on goal..It was just a foul, the kind you see day-in and day-out and no way did it deserve to be a yellow card."

From an Aldershot fan!

Maybe I am being overly harsh on LJL then, from where I was it looked a foul and a very harsh yellow but I just felt he had allowed the ref to pull his cards out when there was no danger.  But we were very much the other side of the pitch.

Good balanced post from Caesar. We will see what Aldershot do when Williams is injured. Damn him, he has illustrated a point that many of us have been making for a long time - a striker who takes chances is a very valuable asset indeed and wins you lots of points that perhaps you don't really deserve. I wish we'd signed him.

1st game in since FGR away last season and I am pretty impressed with the back 4 and midfield 4. Especially Nielsen and Brown, thought individually these both where brilliant. I feel we had nothing upfront, with and without LJL on the pitch they always seemed to me a yard or 2 off the pace. Aldershot where poor all game, passed it sideways and backwards well when we was down to 10 men but only had 3 decent shots (2 of which they scored). Not to disheartened and think we have a good backbone of a squad, could do with a striker or giving Nielsen a chance upfront, hes quality once the ball is at his feet running at players.

My first game of the season and though disappointing to lose, there are still lots of grounds for optimism and it was great to get a proper look at the team.

As has been said, we controlled the first half hour and the sending off changed the game.  The team already looks settled and they kept going to the end, and by playing proper football too- working opportunities by pressing up the pitch and getting Neilson, Brown and Paddy to make runs and bring in others, with Pittman and LJL receiving the ball much higher up the pitch and into feet.  Neilson was the stand-out man on the pitch, but take him away and Scott Brown would still be head and shoulders above the rest.  Keep these blokes together and we can look forward to some good times.

Agree with all of the above.

LJL was being pulled up for being muscular but fair in their penalty area, complained to the referee and that was what got him the first booking, then for some reason (knowing that the referee was going overboard on this) he seemed to barge one of their players in a nothing area near the halfway line and that was that.

You could see it coming when he got the first yellow and that would have been a moment to switch him for Hannah.

Apart from that it was an impressive display from the rest of the team. Nielsen needs to be prepared to pass the ball a bit more but scored a great goal, Boyce was magnificent, McKeown made a couple of terrific saves and Scott Brown was a real dynamo in the middle.

The referee, as everyone has said was utterly inconsistent and the linesman on our side of the pitch simply looked at what the referee had decided and put his flag up to confirm it.