The Shots and Torquay had to settle for a point apiece as early goals from both sides saw a draw at The EBB Stadium.
The game flew into action in the early stages and both teams scored with their first shot on goal as both teams found the back of the net within 10 minutes. Aldershot captain Joe Partington opened the scoring, guiding an Olly Pendlebury corner home in the fifth minute.
But, Torquay pegged The Shots back just four minutes later as Brett McGavin smashed a shot from the edge of the area into the bottom corner.
The visitors were buoyed by instantly hitting their hosts back and looked to edge in front as they began to control proceedings. A long-range effort from Kieron Evans was straight into Luca Ashby-Hammond’s grasp but an Aaron Jarvis header needed blocking by a Shots defender as they came even closer just minutes later.
The first signs of new signing Tahvon Campbell were promising and he came close to a debut goal in the 26th minute. Shaking off some shirt-pulling, he turned his marker inside-out and grazed the post with a placed shot from outside the area.
But action was few and far between as the first-half drew to a close with both sides failing to grab hold of the game and notching little bar a couple of half-chances.
HALF-TIME
Oliver Pendlebury looked lively during the first-half for The Shots and continued to do so after the interval as a long-range effort forced Mark Halstead into making a good save early into the second-half and a few moments later saw a cross-cum-shot from inside the box deflected wide via Campbell.
Torquay also came close to taking the lead early into the second-half through Tope Fadahunsi but as he battled into the box, his shot was well saved by Ashby-Hammond.
Just after the hour, Aldershot had the best chances to take the lead but a fantastic double-save from Halstead kept the score level. Justin Amaluzor was first denied before Pendlebury pounced on the rebound only to be denied as well.
A lull in play as a number of substitutions were made was interrupted in the 78th minute as Tyler Frost came close. Receiving the ball in the area, he took a touch and shot low but his goalbound effort was cleared behind for a corner.
Halstead was certainly proving Aldershot’s enemy as he once again denied the hosts as Frost again came close. With the game coming to a close, he cut in from the right but his left-footed effort was beaten away by the Torquay stopper.
Neither side were happy to settle for a point and both pushed forward in search of a late winner but the points were to be shared with neither side able to edge in front at the death.
Shots lineup: 1. Luca Ashby-Hammond, 4. Joe Partington (c), 5. Tyler Cordner, 8. Tyler Frost, 9. Tahvon Campbell (17. Jake Hutchinson 82′), 16. Corey Jordan, 18. Henry Ochieng, 19. Oliver Pendlebury (10. Josh McQuoid 67′), 22. Haji Mnoga, 23. Ryan Glover, 29. Morgan Roberts (7. Justin Amaluzor 57′). Subs not used: 20. Michael Klass, 27. Tommy Willard.
