A second half penalty from Aldershot striker Chris McPhee cancelled out John Grant's early goal in a game which saw both sides have to settle for a draw.

Grant had opened the scoring within 4 minutes, Midgley had played a pass to Steve Haslam on the right band side, he floated in a cross and Grant got in front of the Shots defender to head past goalkeeper Nikki Bull and put the Shaymen 1-0 up.

However Town could have already been 1-0 down, captain Denny Ingram hooked the ball of the line following Tim Sills header at goal from a left wing cross.

Aldershot hit back after the goal and new signing Matt Somner hit a shot over from 20 yards after Foster had cleared the ball from the penalty area.

Grant, who was excellent this afternoon for Town, was released down the left hand side on 19 minutes, he cut the ball back as he reached the area and Somner was there to clear the ball as Ryan Sugden lined up to shoot at goal.

First yellow card of the game came on 22 minutes, Somner was booked for a foul on Gary Brabin at the edge of the Town box.

Confusion in the Town area, a cross from striker Tim Sills should have gone to Ian Dunbavin, however Steve Haslam decided to take no chances and put the ball out for a corner. Deen's corner came in and Tobi Jinadu headed wide of the left hand post.

A minute later, Craig Midgley was fouled in midfield, no advantage was played despite the ball coming to Sugden in a good position, the freekick was headed out for a corner. However it came to nothing as Greg Young was penalised for a foul in the box.

Midgley went down the right on 29 minutes, like Grant ealirer he tried to find Sugden in the box with a pull back but the visitors once again cleared the dange.

Bull had to be on high alert when a long ball forward was being chased by Grant, however Bull got there before the Town striker and blasted the ball upfield.

Somner had another shot on 32 minutes, this time it was blocked by Ingram, the ball fell to Sills and he swizzled in the box and shot wide of the left hand post.

Brabin tried a few times to score again this afternoon and on 33 minutes his effort was deflected for a corner and then two minutes later after Sugden, Gran and Killeen combined his 35 yaed shot was well saved by Nikki Bull who did well to keep hold of the effort.

Denny Ingram was booked on 36 minutes, the referee played advantage when Aldershot counterattacked after a Foster corner was cleared, Sills shot was saved well by Dunbavin and was cleared for a throw, however referee Mr Page booked Ingram for a challenge earlier in the move.

John Grant had a chance to get his second on 42 minutes, Sugden did well down right, his cross came in and Grant found himself 6 yards out and fired his shot into the wrong side of the netting.

Nick Crittenden  skipped past a couple of challenged in the box but Dunbavin parried his shot for a corner. Guyett headed the corner towards goal, and Dunbavin tipped his effort over the bar.

At halftime, a tactical substitution, Tyrone Thompson replaced Ryan Sugden.

At the start of the second half, Town conceded a penalty, Sills beat Ingram and Dunbavin tried to challenge him but the Shots striker went down in the box and the penalty was awarded. Foster was booked, most likely for complaining and it took a good couple of minutes for the spot kick to be taken. Bertrand Cozic went down at the edge of the box, most in the crowd expected the referee to pull a card out either to Gary Brabin who was nearest Cozic or to the Shots guy himself, however he did neither and McPhee slotted home the penalty.

On 51 minutes Grant turned in the box and his shot was saved by Bull, the rebound was cleared before Killeen could put the rebound into the net.

Ingram did well to clear the danger from a left wing cross on 63 minutes.

A foul on Craig Midgley by Hassan Sulaiman on 69 minutes gave Foster another chance from a set piece, he played it short to Haslam, who overhit his pass for a goalkick.

Another Foster freekick on 72 minutes following a foul on Young and McPhee cleared the danger for Aldershot.

Senior replaced Foster on 74 minutes and at the next set piece there was confusion as to which Town player would take it, Midgley stepped up to take the corner and it went over everyone and out for a goalkick.

Grant had another effort with 11 minutes to go, his shot was saved by Bull, Killeen was chasing for the rebound and looked to have gone out for a corner but was cleared for a throw.

Brabin had another long distance effort which went wide of the left hand post on 83 minutes, a minute later Justin Bowler replaced Midgley.

Four minutes of normal time remaining, Town won a corner, Chris Senior sent it into the box but Terry Brown's side once again dealt with it.

Lewis Killeen blocked a shot with a minute to go inside his own box and there was still time for another Brabin effort. The corner came in for Bowler, Brabin's effort was cleared off the line by Hassan Sulaiman.

Assistant Manager Wayne Jacobs said, " It is two points dropped, there were positives, we weren't at our best but we still created chances. It's been a long week and has been a huge effort by all the players. We forced chances even at the end. It wasn't a vintage performance, and maybe 4 points out of 9 isn't the best return from the performances this week, but it's only the first week of the season."

"The Sugden substitution was tactical, we wanted to change things, look to be be positive and try something different".

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Town :- Dunbavin, Haslam, Ingram, Midgley (Bowler 83), Foster (Senior 74), Killeen, Sugden (Thompson 45), Young, Atherton, Grant, Brabin. Subs :- Doughty, Butler.

Aldershot :- Bull, Sulaiman, Hamilton (Scott 88) , Jinadu, Guyett, Deen (Mustafa 54), Somner, Cozic, Sills (Brayley 74), McPhee, Crittenden. Subs not used :- Winfield, Weait