On a drizzly Wednesday evening in Aldershot the Chelsea Old Boys put on their boots once more to get the 2013 season on the road

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The evening clashed with the Premiership game at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea and Tottenham were fighting for a Champions League place, so the
Old Boys lost midfield maestro Ray Wilkins and Third highest scorer in Chelsea history, Kerry Dixon, to TV duties whilst the opposition had ex Southampton Premiership players Matthew Le Tissier and James Beattie to call on

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A pulsating game got under way with the Shots select team taking the lead,
through a well taken goal by the sharp and trim looking Beattie.
The Old Boys then got their passing game together with David Lee, Gareth Hall and Garry Stanley pulling the strings in midfield.
Darren Barnard playing on one of his old stomping grounds equalised for the blues. Moments later Barnard again raced clear, beat the offside trap to give the blues a well-deserved lead, but just before the half time interval
The Shots responded with a smartly taken goal again from James Beattie, showing he had not lost any of his Premiership match sharpness.

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After the interval Aldershot Once again took the lead with a great strike by Steve Stairs, and all looked well for an Aldershot victory.

The Blues had 1988 FA Cup winner Dave Beasant in goal, but big Beas fancies
himself as an outfield player and came out of goal to replace Colin Pates, and soon found himself having to take a penalty in the last moments of the game.
Beas must have thought he was taking a goal kick and blazed the penalty over the bar (and the bar I am talking about was on the high street)
The ref ordered the penalty kick to be taken again for whatever reason (Westy was seen having a word during a break in play) and big Dave
made no mistake this time to make the game 3-3, and that's how the game ended on 90 minutes.

 

A penalty shootout followed with Matt Le Tissier putting away his customary
penalty, unfortunately for the shots the Blues had Gary Chivers, Keith Dublin,Garry Stanley, Stewart Robbins, David Lee and Gareth Hall taking and despatching their pens to secure another Blues win, to continue their undefeated run from last season.

 

Paul Canoville displayed some fancy footwork, unfortunately not for the C.O.B's but with the half time entertainment, dancing girls.

 

A good crowd were entertained all evening, with David Stride making a cold 
Wet night worth the admission alone.

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Rodney George