ALDERSHOT TN 2, NORTHAMPTON TN 1

ALDERSHOT gave their new manager his first win, but it was the steal of the season on Tuesday night as Northampton were sunk by two goals in the last 10 minutes.

The Shots had been second best throughout in a scrappy contest affected by the high winds and Northampton's 1-0 lead hardly seemed under threat.

Then referee Fred Graham took a hand and Aldershot equalised from a harsh, twice-taken penalty.

The crowd came to life, Aldershot responded with a late spell of pressure and Marvin Morgan scored a brilliant solo winner, although he was helped by some dire defending that ruined all Northampton's previous good work.

"I think we were a bit fortunate," admitted Kevin Dillon. "I haven't apologised, you can't apologise, but I thought we were lucky to win.

"In every department, we were being dominated. I've never seen such a one-sided first half. But to their credit, the players turned it round in second half."

Northampton played all the football in the first half, their game revolving around the deft passing of Ade Akinfenwa, the defensive security provided by the enormous Patrick Kanyuka, and the old-fashioned wing play of Luke Guttridge.

On 18 minutes, it was Akinfenwa's perfectly-judged pass that sent Guttridge clear of a square home defence and as Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz came racing out, he drilled the ball expertly into the far corner.

Almost immediately, Steve Guinan came within inches of making it 2-0.

Aldershot finally got into the game. Morgan's neat backheel set up Louie Soares who drove wide from an angle. Then Andy Sandell picked out Morgan who shrugged off his marker and volleyed fiercely over the top.

It was better from Aldershot, but they continued to live dangerously as Ian Sampson's men made good use of the tail-wind with a series of wickedly inswinging corners.

They almost scored a carbon-copy of the first goal as Akinfenwa again released right-wing raider Guttridge. Aldershot breathed again as Ruiz raced out and this time made a crucial block.

Andy Holt won one of Guttridge's teasing corners cleanly in the air, but saw his header skim over the bar.

Dillon took positive action at half-time, withdrawing Anthony Straker and Lewis Chalmers and sending on John Halls and an extra attacker in the shape of John Grant.

Even with the gale behind them, Aldershot struggled to make an impression on a disciplined back line and 20 minutes passed before Chris Dunn had to make a save.

Halls whipped in a 25-yard drive that was curling towards the top corner before the under-worked Dunn brilliantly touched the ball over the angle of the bar.

With Northampton cruising, and only 10 minutes left, the game was turned on its head when Anthony Charles of all people went down on the corner of the area and referee Graham pointed to the spot.

After Paul Rodgers had been booked for his protests, Dunn made a superb double save, only for Mr Graham to order the kick to be re-taken due to encroachment into the area.

Donnelly, apparently heeding the fans' advice to "hit it", this time blasted the ball home.

Northampton were aggrieved, but that was nothing compared with the anguish they suffered in the last minute of the game.

Morgan, with typical tenacity, wrestled the ball off Chris McCready near the left touchline and the Northampton defender gave up the chase as the Aldershot forward headed goalwards.

He beat the previously unyielding Kanyuka with consummate ease and shot low under Dunn for an outrageous winner. It was Morgan's first league goal since October 10. He will never score a more dramatic one.

Aldershot: Jaimez-Ruiz, Herd, Straker (Grant 46), Blackburn, Charles, Soares, Chalmers (Halls 46), Morgan, Donnelly, Hudson (Harding 76), Sandell. Subs (not used): Masters, Winfield, Hopkinson, Connolly. Booked: Herd, Sandell.

Northampton: Dunn, Rodgers, McCready (Hinton 90), Gilbert, Kanyuka, Guttridge (Dyer 84), Walker, Holt, Gilligan, Guinan, Akinfenwa (Mulligan 50). Subs (not used): Brown, Curtis, Jacobs, McKay. Booked: Rogers, Guttridge, Guinan, Mulligan.

Referee: Fred Graham.

Attendance: 2,761.

* A minute's silence was observed before kick-off in memory of Richard Walden, the former Aldershot defender, who died last week.