Aldershot have a fair chance of reaching the second round of the FA Cup after their gutsy display against Bristol Rovers on Saturday.

"They will think it's all over, but all the pressure will be on them and we can go there and give them a game," said George Borg.

His Ryman League battlers might find Rovers too tough a proposition at their own Memorial Ground turf on Tuesday, but, whatever the outcome, the manager's faith in his players has been restored.

"We showed we are capable of winning the league. Commitment and passion were there and the work-rate was great. We could have scored at the finish and that would have been the icing on the cake, but I was happy with a draw. I was proud of my players today. We showed we can compete with a Division Three side."

Borg had publicly questioned the commitment of some of his players and taken to heart some verbal 'stick' from a minority of Aldershot fans after two consecutive defeats.

"It's been the worst week of my life as a manager, but I've got to accept that 10 per cent of the fans don't like me. I've just got to live with it."

True to his promise, he toughened the spine of his side by recalling Mark Bentley, Paul Harford and Ollie Adedeji after injury and restoring Mark Watson to the attack. Grant Payne, Leon Townley and the influential Lee Protheroe were all relegated to the bench.

The selection of Watson almost paid rich dividends. The powerful front-runner 'put himself about' all game. Unfortunately, his only reward was to have his glaring late miss re-run on Match of the Day.

Played at a cracking pace, this cup-tie was always watchable, although, in truth, neither goalkeeper had much to do.

Two excellent defences tended to cancel each other out and the real contest was in midfield, where Bentley, Harford and Adam Parker acquitted themselves well against the likes of former Gunner David Hillier and the fleet-footed Dwayne Plummer.

It was easy to see why Gerry Francis' men have failed to post a win in 10 league matches. Two or three times in the first half, the ball was squared across Aldershot's goalmouth, with no-one able to supply the final touch.

That lack of a cutting-edge dogged the visitors throughout and until their first-choice strikers, Nathan Ellington and Ross Weare, return from injury, cash-strapped Rovers are always likely to struggle.

They often passed the ball accurately and crisply and had much the better of the first half.

But, apart from a 25-yard thunderbolt from Trevor Challis that swerved outside the anglebar, and a couple of goalmouth scrambles, Rovers were well contained by Aldershot's redoubtable central trio, Ollie Adedeji, Ryan Kirby and Owen Coll.

At the other end, Andy Thomson, Steve Foster and Aldershot-born Mark Foran looked impregnable. Watson foraged away tirelessly, but the more slightly built Stafford Browne was muscled out of it.

Plummer carried the main threat for Rovers with his elusive running, but in the second half Bentley fulfilled a similar ball-carrying role for Aldershot as they started to take the game to the Football League side.

Soon, it was Bristol's turn to defend a goalmouth melee, Mark Graham's final shot being plucked out of the air by Scott Howie.

With 18 minutes to go, Borg sent on Protheroe and Scott Forrester and the pressure began to mount on Rovers as Protheroe gave Aldershot extra options with his immaculate delivery from set-pieces.

Both sides had late chances to settle the tie.

Gareth Howells had been under-employed in the home goal, but, with 12 minutes left, he pulled off a back-stretching save to flick Vitalijs Astafjevs' 22-yard drive over the bar.

Aldershot's bold approach made them more vulnerable to the counter-attack and Adedeji and, in particular, Coll made crucial tackles as the last line of defence.

Then came that dramatic miss as the game drifted into injury time. Protheroe's long, hanging free-kick from the right was volleyed into the six-yard box by Parker. The shot deflected through a ruck of players straight to Watson who, four yards out, failed to get any real purchase on the ball. Loud groans from most of the 5,059 spectators, followed by a deathly hush.

"He said the ball bobbled as it came through," said Borg in defence of his luckless striker. "It was just one of those things."

Aldershot: Howells, Coll, Chewins, Kirby, Adedeji, Bentley, Graham, Harford (Protheroe 72 mins), Browne (Forrester 72 mins), Watson, Parker. Subs (not used): Payne, Townley, Cleeveley (g/k). Booked: Browne, Harford.

Bristol Rovers: Howie, Foran (Trought (88 mins), Thomson, Hillier, Plummer, Astafjevs, Wilson, Challis, Gall (Bubb 90 mins), Foster, Cameron. Subs (not used) Clarke, Mauge, Gilroy. Booked: Plummer, Thomson.

Referee: Keith Hill.

Attendance: 5,059.

l Aldershot's Jason Chewins gamely played out the game after being briefly concussed out in a clash of heads just before half-time.

l Police made four arrests during serious disturbances at pubs outside the ground.

l Canvey Island, the Ryman League leaders, pulled off the result of the round, beating Division Two side Wigan 1-0. Neil Gregory scored the late winner for Jeff King's side which included Julian Dicks, the former combustible West Ham star.

Winners to play Whitby or Plymouth

In the second round, to be played on Saturday, December 8, Aldershot or Bristol Rovers have been drawn away to either Whitby or Plymouth.

Whitby, struggling in the Unibond Premier League, drew 1-1 with Plymouth, the Nationwide Division Three leaders.

Aldershot visit Bedford this Saturday, hoping to put two successive away defeats behind them.