Hornchurch welcome Aldershot Town to Hornchurch Stadium on Tuesday night, with the Urchins looking to rediscover their early-season form against a Shots side sitting fifth in the National League. Just three points separate the clubs, with Hornchurch on 15 points from ten matches and Aldershot on 18.
Hornchurch have experienced a difficult spell after an impressive start to their first National League campaign. Daryl McMahon’s side have lost four of their last five league fixtures, with a 1-0 home victory over Scunthorpe United providing their only success during that sequence.
The Urchins had suffered three consecutive defeats against Forest Green Rovers, FC Halifax Town and Worthing before Ryan Inniss’s second-half goal earned them all three points against Scunthorpe. That victory briefly halted the slide, but Hornchurch were unable to build on it when they travelled to Altrincham on Saturday.
The sides went into half-time goalless at the J. Davidson Stadium before Altrincham produced a devastating spell immediately after the restart. Sam Taylor opened the scoring in the 48th minute before Charlie Kirk and Jimmy Knowles struck in the 54th and 57th minutes, with three goals in nine minutes condemning Hornchurch to a 3-0 defeat.
Hornchurch have now failed to score in four of their last five National League matches. Their overall record remains evenly balanced, however, with five wins and five defeats from their opening ten games after taking maximum points from four of their first five fixtures.
Aldershot travel to Essex following their biggest National League victory of the season. The Shots thrashed Tamworth 5-1 at the EBB Stadium on Saturday, scoring four times before half-time in an emphatic response to the previous weekend’s defeat at Barrow.
Brody Peart opened the scoring inside two minutes before Michee Efete struck twice and Marcus Dinanga added another to give Aldershot a 4-0 half-time advantage. Dinanga scored his second shortly after the restart to make it 5-0, with Tamworth’s stoppage-time consolation doing little to diminish an impressive attacking display.
Aldershot’s recent sequence has produced three wins, one draw and one defeat from their last five league matches. Victories over FC Halifax Town and Solihull Moors were followed by a 1-1 draw against Yeovil Town and a narrow defeat at Barrow before Saturday’s emphatic return to winning ways.
Tuesday’s fixture brings together two clubs without a recent competitive history. Hornchurch are competing in the National League following promotion from National League South last season, and there have been no meetings between the sides during the previous three campaigns.
Hornchurch begin the evening with 15 points from ten matches after five wins and five defeats. Their recent difficulties have left them with a goal difference of -4. Aldershot sit fifth with 18 points after five wins, three draws and two defeats, with Saturday’s five-goal victory improving their goal difference to +7.
Tuesday therefore gives Hornchurch an opportunity to respond quickly to Saturday’s defeat and halt a run of four losses in five, while Aldershot travel to Hornchurch Stadium looking to build on their most emphatic performance of the season.
