Aldershot v FC Halifax Town preview

Venue: The Ebb Stadium

Date: Saturday, November 25

Kick-off: 3pm

Referee: Jason Richardson has shown 24 yellow cards but no red cards in four National League games this season. This is his second season refereeing at this level. Last season he took charge of Halifax's 0-0 draw at Dorking in March.

Odds: Aldershot win 23/20, draw 5/2, Halifax win 15/8

In the league this season

Aldershot: PL21 W10 D3 L8 F37 A36 GD1 Pts33

Halifax: PL21 W8 D8 L5 F24 A20 GD4 Pts32

Last five games

Aldershot: Dorking (a) L 2-1, Swindon (FAC a W 7-4), Kidderminster (h) W 1-0, Rochdale (a) L 2-1, Bromley (a) W 3-2

Halifax: Hartlepool (h) W 2-1, York (a) D 1-1, Maidenhead (a) L 1-0, Wealdstone (h) W 1-0, Fylde (h) D 2-2

Scorers

Aldershot: Tolaj (13), Stokes (10), Barham (9), Harries (4), Glover (2), Thomas (2), Rowe (2), Mnoga (2), Jones (2), Frost

Halifax: Alli (5) Harker (4), Senior (3), Hoti (2), Evans, Cummings, Summerfield, Keane, Cappello, Golden, Wright, Hunter

Manager: Tommy Widdrington became Aldershot boss in April 2023 having previously been in charge at King's Lynn. The former Premier League player has overseen an overhaul of the Aldershot squad in the summer, with a number of his new signings helping to propel them into the play-off places.

Last season: 18th in National League

One to watch: Former Swiss youth international Lorent Tolaj joined Aldershot this summer, having previously played for Brighton, Cambridge, Salford and Dundee, having started his career at FC Sion. The left-footed striker is described as an old-fashioned number nine who can play with his back to goal but also threaten in-behind and has eight goals in his last 13 games.

Head-to-head: Played 72, Aldershot wins 26, draws 22, Halifax wins 24

Last time they met: Second-half goals from Harvey Gilmour and Milli Alli saw Halifax beat Aldershot 2-0 at The Shay in March.

Match facts: League leaders Chesterfield are the only away team to have won at Aldershot this season.

Halifax have the best defensive record in the National League this season, conceding just 20 goals in 21 games, while only Woking have conceded fewer away goals in the league than Town (10)

Only Chesterfield and Southend have scored more home league goals in the division than Aldershot this season (24)

Aldershot have scored in all ten of their home league games this season and have only failed to score in two of their 22 league matches this campaign.

Only leaders Chesterfield have lost fewer home league games in the fifth tier this season than Aldershot (1)

Aldershot have scored three or more goals in a game on eight occasions so far this season.

Halifax's 5-1 thrashing at Aldershot in the league last season is their only defeat there in their last five visits.

Saturday's National League fixtures:

AFC Fylde v Dorking Wanderers

Aldershot Town v FC Halifax Town

Altrincham v Solihull Moors

Boreham Wood v Woking

Chesterfield v Eastleigh

Dagenham & Redbridge v Rochdale

Gateshead v Southend United

Hartlepool United v Bromley

Maidenhead United v York City

Oldham Athletic v Ebbsfleet United

Oxford City v Kidderminster Harriers

Wealdstone v Barnet