CITY 2 ALDERSHOT 0

BIG boys beware – City are on the FA Cup hunt once more after an ultimately comfortable replay win last night.

Last season’s shock quarter-finalists safely stepped over the potential banana skin offered by Aldershot to disappoint the TV cameras at a soggy Valley Parade.

There was no drama; the eighth unbeaten game did exactly what it said on the tin.

And it was two cup novices who broke the National Leaguers’ resistance in the second half just as frustration was threatening to creep in.

Neither Greg Leigh nor Tony McMahon were at the club when City marched to within a Reading replay of a first appearance in the last four since lifting the trophy in 1911.

But both made their mark in the first home FA Cup tie since that glorious run to book a second-round clash with seventh-tier Chesham.

Left back Leigh, once again understudying well for new international James Meredith, settled the nerves with a superbly-crafted opener.

And McMahon, so often the provider of late, turned taker from the penalty spot to put the lid on Aldershot’s giant-killing ambitions.

There was also a milestone at the other end where Ben Williams equalled the club record of five successive clean sheets last set by Geoff Smith 61 years ago.

Aldershot had lost twice since the original clash but Phil Parkinson had predicted that they would be saving themselves for Valley Parade. The Shots also had giant-killing previous after knocking off Portsmouth in a replay at the same stage last year.

Parkinson made two changes from Saturday’s comfortable win against Crewe, giving Mark Marshall and Devante Cole the chance to nudge the manager for greater involvement.

With Billy Clarke hitting the ground running again after his injury, Cole needed to emphasise his presence back in the frontline alongside James Hanson.

There was a familiar foe to greet Hanson as Luke Oliver made a popular return to Valley Parade. City’s 2011-2012 player of the year had been on the Aldershot bench for the first game.

The sparse crowd meant that you could hear the shouts of the players. But the low-key feel to the night masked the fact that there were potential riches for the winner – something City did not need reminding of after last year’s heroics.

The visitors created the first goal threat as striker Richard Brodie, having bludgeoned an ugly early volley into the Kop, tested Williams with a fierce shot on the turn.

But the keeper parried it away and then covered Sam Hatton’s follow-up.

Cole latched on to Rory McArdle’s long ball but his progress into the box was brought to an abrupt halt by Oliver.

The non-league side had settled well in wet conditions that seemed tailor-made for a potential shock. But City went closest to breaking the deadlock on 20 minutes as Marshall weaved his way into a gap in the box before his low skidder was superbly touched on to the post by Phil Smith.

That lifted the hosts and Smith had a scare when Cole latched on to Billy Knott’s ball over the top. The keeper raced from his goal and caught him with a sliding challenge to receive a yellow card.

The game was opening up and after Gary Liddle tried a close-range overhead kick, City were grateful to another alert save from Williams. Brodie nodded down for the incoming Jim Stevenson but the in-form Bantam stopper denied him with his legs.

City were finding it hard to give the crowd much to cheer but the fans enjoyed a brief spat between Brodie and team-mate Sam Hatton over crossed wires from a misplaced pass – an exchange that continued for a while.

Brodie’s panto-villain act was proving a sideshow and the former York man finally tested referee Keith Hill’s patience once too often to go into the book just before half-time.

But the Shots were by far the happier of the teams going into the break goalless – and but for Williams could have held the upper hand.

Two-time FA Cup winner Andrew Cole certainly thought so with a half-time tweet claiming Aldershot were the better team – not what his son would have wanted to hear!

The rain returned with a vengeance for the second half and Charlie Walker threatened to further dampen spirits with a half volley that flew narrowly over the bar.

City were still struggling to build any kind of momentum and the frustration was summed up when Marshall dallied too long on the ball and lost it when he should have released Leigh on the overlap.

Billy Clarke’s arrival from the bench had been the galvanising factor in last season’s cup opener at Halifax and he entered the fray again just before the hour for Hanson, who had sprained his ankle from a tackle with Stevenson.

City then struck within two minutes of the change, although the sub was only an admirer as a wonderful combination finally broken open the Shots.

Knott picked out Leigh with a perfectly-weighted angled pass covering 40 yards and the left back bombed into the box and nonchalantly clipped the ball over Smith. Not a bad way to mark only your third appearance for the club!

Luke James appeared for Cole and the second change earned City some more breathing space 15 minutes from time.

He was pushed over in the box by centre half Omar Beckles and McMahon confidently stepped up to slam home the penalty – a case of third-time lucky from the spot after City’s first-week misses at Swindon and York.

James almost found that elusive first City goal from another burst into the box but Smith was equal to his angled shot.

But the Bantams had done the job to book a date with Southern League side Chesham – a tie when they will start overwhelming favourites against opponents more than 100 places beneath them.

CITY: Williams 7, Darby 6, McArdle 6, N Clarke 6, Leigh 8, McMahon 7, Liddle 7 (Routis 81min), Knott 7, Marshall 7, Cole 6 (James 70min), Hanson 5 (B Clarke 59min, 6). Subs (not used): Reid, Morris, Mottley-Henry, Cracknell.

ALDERSHOT: Smith 7, Alexander 6, Beckles 6, Oliver 6, McGinty 6, D Walker 6, Stevenson 6, Lathrope 5 (Browne 67min), Hatton 6, C Walker 6, Brodie 5. Subs (not used): Richard, Gallagher, Barker, Thomas.

REFEREE: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire)

BOOKINGS: Marshall, McArdle (City); Smith, Brodie (Aldershot)

ATTENDANCE: 2,930

SHOTS ON TARGET: City 6, Aldershot 4

SHOTS OFF TARGET: City 12, Aldershot 9

CORNERS: City 5, Aldershot 2

FOULS COMMITTED: City 9, Aldershot 17