ALDERSHOT TN 0, SHREWSBURY TN 0

ALDERSHOT gave a much-improved defensive performance but showed precious little firepower in this stalemate with promotion-chasing Shrewsbury on Tuesday night.

There was some excitement before kick-off when a burger van went up in flames, causing a temporary evacuation of the area (the ever-resourceful tannoy man played Julie Driscoll's This Wheel's on Fire), but the game itself never really caught fire.

Gary Waddock was just relieved that his side got their act together at the back. "Overall, a point apiece was a fair reflection," said the Aldershot manager. "I was pleased we got a clean sheet – that's first and foremost after five goals conceded at the weekend.

"I was pleased for our back four. They worked extremely hard today."

Aldershot paid tribute to the two Sappers killed in Northern Ireland last weekend by observing a minute's silence before kick-off and the club also gave free admission to the Army football side and other servicemen.

As a garrison town club, the Shots would have loved to have scored a hatful of goals on the night, but they were up against doughty opponents with an eye on the play-offs. And although Shrewbury looked they had come to defend, they shrewdly saved themselves for a late push and it was Aldershot hanging on in the end as their goal came under heavy fire.

Indeed, the game ended on a bizarre note when Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz, again standing in for Nikki Bull in goal, was booked for timewasting.

The reserve keeper seemed to be in a world of his own as he took an age over his goal kicks, even in the closing minutes, with the home side urgently needing to pick up points.

Ruiz made one brilliant save, but his general work hardly inspired confidence. The clean sheet was more down to the resilience of Rhys Day and Anthony Charles in central defence.

On a night of precious few efforts on target, Aldershot got off to a lively start and the tactic of exploiting the pace of Jake Robinson and Kirk Hudson just behind front man John Grant at first caused Shrewsbury serious problems.

There were early scares at both ends. Scott Davies, seizing on a Shrewsbury error, had a clear break on goal, but the midfielder ran the ball too far ahead of himself and Luke Daniels came out to smother.

The visitors had a better chance on 10 minutes when a cross from Ben Davies found Grant Holt completely unmarked, but the striker headed woefully wide.

Aldershot responded with probably the best move of the match. Davies knocked a good ball down the right channel to Robinson whose sleight of foot left his marker for dead. His pass inside found Hudson carrying on the move and the youngster's final stinging shot was only kept out by Daniels' excellent parry.

Robinson displayed his full bag of tricks in this half: skill and control allied to blistering pace, with license to roam where he wished. He shoots in the blink of an eye, too, and one searing drive on the turn flashed past the far upright.

Nevertheless, Aldershot seldom tested Daniels. They should have done so when Davies delivered a wickedly inswinging corner, but Grant's unchallenged header flew across the goalmouth when he should have at least got it on target.

Shrewsbury got the measure of the marauding Robinson in the second half and two well-organised defences tended to cancel each other out. A goalless deadlock looked increasingly likely.

Jaimez-Ruiz made a genuinely good save to deny Shane Candsell-Sheriff, but it was a mistake by the keeper that led to substitute Steve Leslie firing in a ferocious shot and only a vital block by Charles denied Shrewsbury a likely goal.

Aldershot never looked like scoring at the other end. Grant again failed to make an impact and by the time Marvin Morgan raced on to bolster the attack, Shrewsbury had their sights set on a handy away point.

They scented more than that in the closing minutes and the erratic Ruiz gave the home fans more than one jittery moment.

Day, Charles and co closed ranks, however, and Aldershot were satisfied with their first nil-nil draw of the campaign.

Aldershot: Jaimez-Ruiz, Blackburn, Day, Charles, Straker, Hudson, Chalmers, Davies, Sandell (Morgan 78), Grant, Robinson. Subs (not used): Soares, Hylton, Newman, Cochrane. Booked: Jaimez-Ruiz, Day.

Shrewsbury: Daniels, Darren Moss, Coughlan, Langmead, Cansdell-Sherriff, Murray (Leslie 62), Davies (Humphrey 80), Dunfield, Ashton, Worrall, Holt. Subs (not used): Herd, Chadwick, Ashikodi. Booked: Worrall, Darren Moss.

Attendance: 2,090.

Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).