a last-minute winner from Josh Barrett secured an Aldershot win in an entertaining, end-to-end battle with Hartlepool United that finished 3-2.
The visitors took a 1-0 lead into the break but Maxwell Mullins and Cameron Hargreaves saw the game turned around. Mani Dieseruvwe levelled with just 10 minutes remaining, but Barrett was on hand to score a dramatic winner in front a jubilant East Bank.
The Shots made two changes from the side that lost at Southend United on Tuesday night as Luke Jenkins and Ryan Jones replaced Theo Widdrington and Kai Corbett in the starting lineup. Luca Woodhouse was given a start in central midfield with Luke Jenkins joining Will Armitage and Olly Scott in the back three and Ryan Jones started in the ’10’ with Tyler Frost continuing on the left.
The game shot into life after just a matter of seconds as Jack Barham raced forward to win the ball from Hartlepool’s kick-off, but was denied by Adam Smith as he raced in on goal with only nine seconds of the game having been played.
Adam Campbell was proving a danger in behind the Aldershot defence as a couple of early balls over the defence found the former England youth international, but he was offside on both occasions.
But Hartlepool took the lead in the 21st minute through a stroke of misfortune for Aldershot and particularly, Tyler Frost. As the Pools broke forward, a ball was played across the edge of the Shots box and sticking in a foot to intercept, Frost inadvertently found the back of his own net.
Jack Barham had another good opportunity fashioned from hard graft in the 25th minute as he pounced on a soft header back to the Hartlepool ‘keeper, but his lob was well closed down by Adam Smith as Ryan Jones’ effort on the rebound failed to hit the target.
There were half-chances for both sides before the break as it was the Shots who looked more likely to find the back of the net as half-time drew nearer. Ryan Jones fired in a couple of dangerous crosses after patient spells of possession for Aldershot Town but the visitors held on to their lead.
HALF-TIME
Hartlepool should have scored a second and increased their lead just six minutes into the second-half but Marcus Dewhurst pulled off a fantastic save to deny Reyes Cleary from point-blank range after he had been found unmarked at the far-post.
And they were punished on the hour mark as Maxwell Mullins bundled in an equaliser for the Shots.Adam Smith could only parry a shot into the danger area and Mullins who had just been introduced from the bench was on hand to turn it in.
Seven minutes later, Aldershot took the lead. Olly Scott’s dangerous cross from the left was dealt with well by the Pools defence but from the resulting corner, Cameron Hargreaves received the ball short, cut in on his left-foot and fired in a fantastic effort into the bottom corner.
Hargreaves seemed to be a man on a mission and in the 79th minute did superbly to win the ball back in midfield and race forward 30-yards before playing the ball to Barham to his right. Barham saw his shot saved and the rebound fell back to Hargreaves but he saw his shot blocked.
A minute later, Mullins volleyed towards goal to more strong appeals for a penalty from a number of Shots players but as Hartlepool broke on the counter, more controversy followed as a push on a Shots player was not given by the officials and Sam Folarin raced down the Hartlepool right wing to play a ball into the centre that Mani Dieseruvwe finished well to level the game.
Aldershot came close to a late winner as Christian Maghoma connected well with a corner but his header was well saved by Smith, but there was to be a late winner in the 95th minute from Josh Barrett.
The Shots were the side looking more likely to find the winner in what was a nervy and open end to the game and Tyler Frost’s dink into the box found Jack Barham at the back-post whose cushioned header back across goal was turned into an open net by Josh Barrett to secure three points for his side.
Attendance: 2203 (132 Away)
Shots lineup: 28. Marcus Dewhurst, 4. Luke Jenkins (83. Emmanuel Maja, 83′), 7. Cameron Hargreaves, 8. Tyler Frost, 10. Josh Barrett (35. Dan Ellison, 90+5′), 11. Ryan Jones (24. Maxwell Mullins, 57′), 17. Aaron Jones (C), 18. Olly Scott, 22. Jack Barham, 33. Luca Woodhouse, 36. Will Armitage (5. Christian Maghoma, 73′).
Subs not used: 1. Jordi van Stappershoef, 9. Kai Corbett, 19. Brad Dolaghan.
Hartlepool lineup: 40. Adam Smith, 4. Tom Parkes, 5. Luke Waterfall (C), 7. Jack Hunter, 9. Gary Madine (27. Sam Folarin, 77′), 10. Adam Campbell (20. Mani Dieseruvwe, 69′), 11. Luke Charman, 14. Nathan Sheron, 18. Jamie Miley (16. Nicky Featherstone, 64′), 19. Reyes Cleary (12. Joe Grey, 57′), 26. Jack Robinson (3. David Ferguson, 57′).
Subs not used: 31. Owen Foster, 17. Billy Sass-Davies.
