Aldershot Town were beaten 3-1 by Notts County at Meadow Lane despite taking the lead early on through Craig Tanner’s header on Tuesday.
Despite looking the better side early on, it was Notts County who come away with all three points after coming from behind in the second-half to win.
A well-worked move involving a number of Aldershot Town players saw Ethan Chislett pick out Craig Tanner at the back post for a simple header at the back post was enough to see the Daggers come away from the EBB Stadium with all three points.
However, an equaliser from Cal Roberts in the 36th minute and two quickfire goals from Kristian Dennis in the 60th and 67th minute saw County come away with all three points.
Danny Searle made two changes to the side that lost narrowly at home to Dagenham & Redbridge last Saturday with new boy Yannis Drais replacing club captain Dean Rance in central midfield for his first start, along with fellow midfielder Ethan Chislett coming in to replace Lewis Walker.
This tactical change saw Chislett take his place in the starting line-up on the left, with forward Jacob Berkeley-Agyepong deployed in more of a striker role, alongside Harrison Panayiotou.
It was a cagey first 10 minutes with neither side really able to create a clear-cut opportunity.
However, it was The Shots who took the lead just seven minutes later as a brilliant build-up allowed the returning Chislett to pick out Craig Tanner at the back post and was given the simplest of tasks of heading the ball home from just a couple of yards out.
This early goal gave Aldershot Town confidence and momentum and had it not been for strong defending from Notts County, The Shots could’ve been further in front in the 23rd minute, following good work from Drais and Chislett.
The French midfielder skipped past two Notts County defenders before picking out Chislett, who did well to get past the onrushing defender and had almost found Tanner again however, it was good defending from the home side that stopped Aldershot Town scoring a deserved second goal.
However, despite a number of half-chances for Aldershot Town it would be Notts County who would score the game’s next goal through Cal Roberts in the 36th minute.
Following a half-chance for Berkeley-Agyepong down the other end, Roberts collects the ball just outside the Aldershot Town penalty area before drilling the ball into the bottom left corner and give Notts County a surprise equaliser.
The first half didn’t see any more big chances for either side as both Notts County and Aldershot Town remained level going into the midway point.
But The Shots had a great chance to go back in front straight from kick-off as a brilliant move from Harrison Panayiotou and George Fowler sees the latter able to pick out Chislett free six yards out, but the young midfielder can only drag his close-range effort inches wide of Joe McDonnell’s goal.
Aldershot Town continued to push for that second goal that their performance so far deserved, with Chislett again trying his luck with a more ambitious first-time volley from 20 yards which went narrowly wide of the Notts County goal.
It was Tanner who would be next to threaten the Notts County goal as he lined up a thunderous effort from 25 yards just minutes later that smashed off McDonnell’s cross bar in the 58th minute.
Despite these opportunities, Notts County started to look more dangerous as the second-half went on and would take the lead for the first time in the game through a chipped effort from Kristian Dennis in the 60th minute.
Things would go from bad to worse for The Shots as Dion Kelly-Evans’ cross from the right-hand side found Dennis who rose highest to head home for his second and Notts County’s third of the afternoon in the 68th minute.
The game started to settle down following Notts County’s third of the evening with Aldershot Town introducing academy startlet Reece Miller into the game as he looked to introduce himself on the big stage.
There was a late opportunity for Aldershot Town to get back into the game as Miller’s fellow substitute Gyliano van Velzen found space in the penalty area but he was quickly swarmed by Notts County defenders, who in turn, cleared away the danger.
This chance ended what was a disappointing end to the night with Aldershot Town having taken the lead early on at Meadow Lane, it means that Saturday’s game against A.F.C. Fylde becomes all the more important.
Notts County XI: 40 J McDonnell (G/K), 3 D McCrory, 4 M Rose (C) (Crawford 84′), 6 J O’Brien, 9 K Dennis, 11 E Boldewijn, 14 K Wootton, 16 D Kelly-Evans, 31 A Lacey, 34 A Long (Rawlinson 61′) 37 C Roberts (Doyle 76′)
Unused Subs: Thomas, Wilson.
Aldershot Town XI: 1 M Walker (G/K) (C), 6 K Lyons Foster, 8 J Rowe, 11 H Panayiotou, 14 Y Drais (Whittingham 78′), 15 A Finney, 16 G Fowler, 20 E Chislett, 21 J Berkeley-Agyepong (Van Velzen 71′), 23 J-Y Koue Niate, 26 C Tanner (Miller 68′)
Unused Subs: L.Walker, Wylie.
