A victory over your old team is often twice as sweet, so it was all smiles for Aldershot manager Terry Brown after Tuesday night's scrappy win that sent his side back to the top of the league.
But smiles can be deceiving. In fact, the genial Brown was not happy. "Sorry to seem miserable, but the fact is we were second best to a very good Hayes side. I was disappointed we didn't pick up and score two or three goals.
"We worked hard, but sometimes that's not enough. We've got a ten-day respite to find the system to suit the team," said Brown. He added: "If we play like that at Hendon, we'll get mullered!"
The win was significant for Aldershot players Nikki Bull, Anthony Charles, Dean Hooper and Dominic Sterling who have all turned out for Hayes.
And it was a family affair for Lee Holsgrove whose two brothers, Peter and Paul, lined up for the visitors. No brotherly love was shown on the pitch.
The game itself was of less interest, with neither side finding any real fluency in their play. It could easily have gone either way.
Hayes set the alarm bells ringing within three minutes when only the upright prevented Hayes scoring from a corner resulting from a rare Karl Ready error.
Tommy McCormick, Hayes' terrier-like defender, picked up a yellow card after bringing down Aldershot's loan signing Dwayne Lee in an otherwise cleanly fought, if sterile game.
Paul Moody earned the free-kick just outside the area which led to Aldershot's all-important goal in the 25th minute.
Jason Chewins, playing as well as ever in his testimonial season, struck a low drive that navigated the Hayes wall and landed in the left-hand corner, giving young French goalkeeper Bertrand Bossu no chance at all.
In response, a powerful shot from Michael Currie was well saved by Bull who looked alert, but was worryingly unable to cleanly claim a number of incoming high balls in the greasy conditions.
Both sides had their chances in the second half, especially Aldershot's Roscoe D'Sane who had a number of shots kept out by Bossu.
Shortly before the end, Hayes almost salvaged a draw when Mark Molesley's ambitious shot from distance struck the right-hand post.
Aldershot were forced to dig deep against Hayes' late surge and Lee Holsgrove was booked for a clumsy tackle on former Watford man David Warner.
It was not to be for the men from Middlesex, while Aldershot made an edgy return to the top of the table. Unlike the weather, the season is just starting to hot up ....
Aldershot: Bull, Hooper (Gell 45 mins), Chewins, Ready, Sterling, A Charles (Cousins 67 mins), Lee, L Holsgrove, Moody (Harper 60 mins), D'Sane, Buckle. Subs (not used): Taylor, Hurst,
Hayes: Bossu, Molesley, McCormick (D Warner 68 mins), Yeboah, Jarvis (Shipperly 40 mins), Paul Holsgrove, Peter Holsgrove, Clark, Hodges, Currie (Casey 76 mins), K Warner. Subs (not used): Andrews, Julienne.
Attendance 1,774.
Karl Ready could have made his last appearance for Aldershot. He is suspended for three matches following his sending-off on Saturday and will miss the games against Hendon (Nov 23), Kingstonian (Nov 26) and Worcester City (Nov 30). The former QPR player is a free agent and was always likely to move on before Christmas.
Dean Hooper and Anthony Charles both withdrew injured during the Hayes match.
Aldershot have no league game this Saturday. On Tuesday, they visit Cheshunt in the Bryco Cup competition.