Byron Webster’s header for the hosts snatched a late 1-1 draw at Hayes Lane after Mikael Ndjoli put Aldershot Town ahead with 20 minutes to go on Tuesday evening.
The Aldershot Town striker played a fine low-effort past Ellery Balcombe on 71 minutes but the Shots were just pegged back when Webster headed in from Josh Coulson’s free kick on 88 minutes.
Mark Molesley made two changes to the side that lost to play-off chasing Solihull Moors on the weekend and handed a long-awaited debut to QPR loanee Sinclair Armstrong, with Corey Jordan also returning.
It was a tense opening to the game with new signing Armstrong slotting in down the left with Ndjoli leading the line.
The debutant Armstrong was an instant threat, latching onto a long ball following a Bromley corner just ahead of Ravens keeper Balcombe but slipped at the vital moment when rounding the keeper 20 yards out.
Ethan Ross was the busiest of the keepers in that first half, holding onto close range efforts from Joe Partington and Billy Bingham.
Chris Bush will feel he should’ve done better to get the header he put wide on 28 minutes on target when under no pressure.
The best chance of the first half fell to Bingham who tried his luck from 25-yards but Ross was equal to it, tipping the swerving shot over the bar.
New signing Armstrong gave the hosts another reminder of his ability just before half time. He made a bursting run forward, shrugging off Bingham before seeing his effort flash across the face of goal.
The visitors had the upper hand in the second half and were straight out the blocks with an early chance from Ndjoli stinging the keepers’ hands.
Shots threatened further through Lewis Kinsella, Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain and Armstrong all within the first five minutes of the half.
Although the hosts then had the best chance to open the scoring. Former Shots loanee James Vennings was played in by Marcus Sablier but he shot over from close range when under pressure from Ross.
Then on 71 minutes the Shots took a deserved lead. Ndjoli was played in down the left before slotting a low effort past Balcombe into the far bottom corner.
Some heroic defending then ensued from the Shots with a terrific block from Mo Sylla to deny Bingham from 20 yards.
However, the Shots just couldn’t hold on and Webster nodded in Coulson’s wide free kick with two minutes to play.
Corey Whitely had a shot flash wide in injury time but a defeat would’ve been harsh on the Shots who are next in action this weekend at home to Notts County.
Aldershot Town FC: 24 E Ross (G/K), 3 L Kinsella (C), 6 K Lyons-Foster, 10 J Berkeley-Agyepong, 12 C Oxlade-Chamberlain, 16 C Jordan, 18 M Sylla, 20 M Ndjoli (Panayiotou 84’), 22 G Phillips, 23 J Harris, 35 S Armstrong (Willard 59’ (Daniel 90’)).
Unused Subs: 13 R Hall (G/K), 36 J Ngalo.
