Sam Hatton’s first goal for Aldershot Town earned a hard-won point as The Shots came from behind at Liberty Way.
Lack-lustre in the first-half but hugely resurgent after the break – buoyed, particularly, by the introduction of substitutes Hatton and Josh Scott – Aldershot Town ended a tough week on a positive note.
Dan Fitchett was restored to the starting line-up, and Tristan Plummer brought in on the right wing, and the visitors made a lively start. Williams was inches away from nipping in on the end of Tonkin’s long throw, yet it proved false promise. Andy Brown’s snapshot crashed into Glenn Wilson amid fruitless claims for handball and, even though Jordan Roberts was again a threat down the left, the host soon wrested control of the game.
Streete’s diagonal free-kick into the box invited Brown to beat Smith with a header which hit the foot of the post, and then the goalkeeper had to stand strong to repel Curran’s shot with his chest. Williams’ shot on the turn flew over the bar, but, on 19 minutes, the strike partners combined to give the hosts the lead. Curran floated in a left-wing cross and Brown ghosted in between his markers to cushion a header across Smith.
The loss, with a knee injury, of Kieron Forbes, had thrown The Shots further into adversity, but Williams perhaps should have equalised, on 38 minutes. Plummer and Gibbs again combined intelligently down the right, yet the inviting cross somehow evaded him virtually on the line.
The second-half, however, was a different proposition. The Shots immediately rediscovered their purpose and exerted a degree of pressure without really testing Charles-Cook. At the other end, Curran bundled John’s cross behind, Wilson blocked Dean’s free header, and Fowler hit the crossbar with a superb swerving drive, but Aldershot Town were steadily rousing themselves from their first-half torpor.
Plummer’s shot was charged down and Fitchett’s follow-up saved, and the arrival of Josh Scott – and the now familiar move to left-back for Roberts – heralded a switch to 4-3-3 and, within two minutes, a fine equaliser.
The Shots recycled a corner and, moving the ball across the field, invited Williams to spin past Smith and burst to the byline. His delicate cross was perfect for Hatton to volley into the net from 12 yards through a crowded goalmouth.
With renewed attacking impetus, the game’s momentum swung in Aldershot Town’s favour, but Nuneaton remained a threat on the counter-attack. Neither side, though, were able to find a winner as their endeavour failed to yield a telling chance.
Plummer smashed a tightly-angled volley over the bar after Wilson’s lob towards the edge of the box was flicked on by Williams, and then The Shots top scorer did likewise with a chance created by Plummer’s strong aerial challenge.
A point afforded The Shots a crumb of comfort, but Andy Scott also lamented a missed opportunity to push his team back into the top half of the table.
