ECHOING round the Rec on Tuesday night was a tune suspiciously like the Great Escape, but it was more a case of The Great Let-Off for Aldershot.

They trailed Bournemouth Poppies 2-1 with three minutes to go, but were rescued by a brace of goals from Jamie Taylor.

A less convincing display by Aldershot is unlikely to be registered this season. Complacency seemed to run through the side, even though they played most of the match with 10 men, following the harsh dismissal of key defender Dominic Sterling.

Anthony Charles put Aldershot ahead after just three minutes of what should have been a demolition exercise against Jewson Wessex League strugglers Bournemouth Poppies.

However, the visitors had not come to make up the numbers and soaked up the early pressure, with Aldershot missing chances to build on their lead.

Steve Collins converted the penalty that brought the Poppies back into contention after 25 minutes.

Sterling's tackle was clumsy rather than cynical and deserved to be a penalty. But it didn't deserve the red card flourished by Mr Ebbage.

From there, Aldershot failed to regroup, allowing the visitors to build their confidence and emerge with the edge at half-time.

When midfielder Sammy Bryning popped up to score an increasingly likely second goal with a header on 68 minutes, the Poppies were threatening to pull off a shock win.

Perhaps fearing the wrath of manager Terry Brown, Aldershot staged a late, late show and belatedly rescued this scrappy clash.

Pacy young striker Jamie Taylor performed his party trick by again getting the Shots out of jail. He poached an equaliser three minutes from time, latching on to a Richard Gell delivery.

His second, with a minute to go, was far more impressive, a blistering 25-yard shot that beat Nicky Stone to leave the visitors feeling cheated.

"It again showed our weakness in the centre-backs," said Terry Brown after Aldershot's narrow escape. "I looked at my bench after the sending-off and there were only young, inexperienced players there," added the manager who was hoping to complete the signing of a defender before this weekend.

Aldershot: Hurst, Cooper, Chewins (Gell 45 mins), Cousins, Sterling, A Charles, Kuhl (D'Sane 60 mins), Holsgrove, Moody (L Charles 45 mins), Taylor, Sowden. Subs (not used) Harper, Lauder-Dyke. Attendance: 657.