We kicked off towards the South Stand and the noisy away support, who never stopped singing or beating their drums for 90 minutes. An early Cooke cross saw Aldershot’s keeper Bull punch clear from a Pitman challenge, then a Rodrigues shot was charged down by Heald. Somner was then booked for late challenge on Rodrigues.
We were steady with our build-up, then Coutts’ cross was cleared to the edge of the box where Purches lifted the ball goalwards only to see Heald head over. Moss then saved bravely after Coleman broke through, racing off his line to save at Coleman's feet.
Cooke then found Coutts on the right and his pinpoint ball found Stock free in the centre, but he skied his shot high over the bar. Sills then almost scored when a poor pass by Moss had him saving the striker’s effort.
Coutts made a run to the edge of the box where he was upended by Somner and the ref pointed to the spot. Pitman was first to the ball to take the spot kick. The referee took age before allowing him to take it, but Pitman coolly slotted the ball to the keeper’s left. 1-0 on 33 minutes and his first senior goal.
Aldershot almost levelled soon after when a Coleman corner was headed narrowly wide of the post by Sills.
HT: 1-0
After the break Aldershot brought on one-time triallist Crittenden for Sills. Crittenden found the side netting before Reed was booked for an ugly challenge on Coutts. He then saw his chip from the edge of the box go just over the bar.
Heald then leveled from a Crittenden corner when he poked home after losing his marker, Stock. 1-1 with 65 minutes gone.
Foley came on for the tiring Pitman, and on 74 minutes Keene and O'Connor came on for Purches and Rodrigues. What a change that was! O’Connor, picked out by Coutts’ pinpoint ball, sent a cross low into the box which Keene met on the run, his first touch of the ball. 2-1 on 76 minutes.
Soon it was 3-1 when Cooke was held at the far post and the linesman gave the spot kick which Cooke took himself. 3-1 79 minutes.
It was 4-1 on 83 minutes when a similar O'Connor cross again found Keene after Coutts has started the move with another fine ball.
A steady performance but nice to see a win.
Has to go to Coutts: he looked good on the ball and a bit more experience will see a good right-sided player. AFCB: Moss, Gowling, Hart, Cooper, Purches, Coutts, Stock, Browning, Cooke, Rodrigues, Pitman
Subs: Surman, O'Connor (on for Purches, 75), Keene (on for Rodrigues, 74), Foley (on for Pitman, 66), Hayter
Steve Hunt, Shaftesbury