THREE penalties, three points to Aldershot who converted two to Bedford's one.

But the curious statistics and close scoreline hardly reflects Aldershot's dominance in this potential banana skin on Saturday, or the fact that they played probably their best 45 minutes' football of the season.

Bedford have an excellent recent record, but were outclassed by Aldershot who, for the first time in a long while, played like true league leaders.

It was a mystery how Bedford got to half-time only two goals in arrears and when they finally scored themselves from a very late penalty, it was the first and only time that Nikki Bull's goal had come under serious threat.

"Very pleased with the performance collectively, but very disappointed with Bedford's goal because they never had a shot," said manager Terry Brown.

"Some of the movement and two-touch football in midfield was a pleasure to watch – probably the best I've seen this year."

The midfield cohesion was indeed the key to Aldershot's success. The feisty Nick Roddis was named man of the match, but the outstanding player was surely Lee Holsgrove with his accurate and imaginative distribution.

Holsgrove's languid jogging around the pitch is deceptive. The tall midfielder moves swiftly when he needs to, often to be found in support of the attack, and his tackling is of the no-nonsense variety.

He was instrumental in both Aldershot's penalties, the first coming after just three minutes when he was hauled down by Bedford skipper Paul Covington.

Roscoe D'Sane made no mistake from the spot and this goal kick-started the home side into a spell of relentless pressure, with the midfield in total control and the defence pushing up to halfway.

D'Sane and Stafford Browne had the sort of service they dream about and the latter must still be wondering how he failed to get on the scoresheet.

Holsgrove pointed the way with a sweet volley, held at the second attempt by Duncan Roberts, before Browne had three agonising misses in the space of seven minutes.

First, he headed inches over the crossbar from a Paul Buckle cross. And when D'Sane, after a thrilling solo dash from his own half, had his shot parried by Roberts, Browne swept the loose ball into the net, only to be denied by an offside flag.

On the half-hour, D'Sane was through in another one-on-one. Roberts again did well to block the shot and again the ball ran to Browne who this time saw his follow-up cleared off the line by Covington.

With Buckle and Jason Chewins using the full width of the pitch, Bedford simply found the ball coming right back at them.

Something had to give and on 33 minutes the raw pace of D'Sane again unnerved the visitors. Breaking on to Holsgrove's headed pass, he was upended by Roberts on the left of the area. The 'keeper escaped with a yellow card, the referee presumably judging that D'Sane still had a bit to do, but the number 10 again tucked the penalty away, just inside the left-hand post.

There was still time for Browne to send a spectacular first-time shot fizzing past the post before Aldershot went off at half-time to a standing ovation from the 2,078 spectators.

Almost inevitably, Aldershot never quite scaled the same heights in the second half, while Bedford, no doubt given a rocket by their manager, were a much more committed side.

But they never looked like overcoming a solid home defence. Ray Warburton and Jason Cousins were immediately on the same wavelength, joining the consistent Dominic Sterling to form an uncompromising back three.

Dean Hooper was his usual pugnacious self on the right; Chewins, as ever, full of running and left-foot trickery on the other flank.

The luckless Browne had another shot clear off the line, again by Covington, before making way for the ultra-keen Jamie Taylor.

Bedford were lucky not to concede a third penalty for handball by Steve Jackman, but, to the strains of "The Shots are going up," the second half turned into a stroll for Aldershot, that is until Bull's late aberration.

For reasons best known to himself, the goalkeeper conceded a penalty after embracing Carl Williams round the legs and after receiving treatment for an injury that conveniently enabled him to hide his blushes, was given no chance by Rob Miller.

Aldershot: Bull, Hooper, Chewins, Cousins, Warburton, Sterling, Roddis, Holsgrove, Browne (Taylor 65 mins), D'Sane (L Charles 86 mins), Buckle. Subs (not used) Cooper, Ashwood, A Charles. Booked: Bull.

Bedford: Roberts, Jackman, Folds, Covington, Howey, Sarll, Paul (Williams 63 mins), Miller, Lynch, Tomlinson, Sozzo (Lawley 74 mins). Subs (not used) Hancock, Simpson, Brown. Booked: Roberts, Sozzo.

Attendance: 2,078.

Referee: K Pike.