LINCOLN CITY 0, ALDERSHOT TN 2

A FIRST win in 10 games was clinched by a typical long-range goal by Scott Davies on his final appearance for the club as Aldershot ended their first League Two season with a flourish at Sincil Bank on Saturday.

Aldershot have held their status with some comfort, despite a difficult last two months of the season when Gary Waddock's selection options were greatly reduced by injuries and suspension.

And to convincingly beat Lincoln City, two places above the Shots, on their own turf showed that the manager has plenty to build upon for the next campaign.

"I thought the players were excellent today," said the Aldershot manager. "We changed our formation and we may have found a system that works for us away from home.

"We wanted to finish on a high – our away form has been poor, everyone knows that.

"We've put a back four together which isn't a back four, and we've kept a clean sheet.

"The way we moved the ball, the opportunities we created ... I'm delighted, it's fantastic."

Aldershot and the fans will sorely miss midfield livewire Davies who returns to Reading after his lengthy loan period. A full season in League Two, with eight goals and a total of 19 from his 76 appearances, must make him a better rounded player, and a strong candidate for Steve Coppell's side.

The Shots seemed to be inspired by their usual enthusiastic support, many in colourful, outlandish fancy dress, and Jake Robinson and Lewis Chalmers had early good efforts.

But then Aldershot rode their luck as veteran striker Geoff Horsfield wasted three good chances to put Lincoln in front.

Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz did particularly well to keep out Horsfield's close-range downward header and the former Premiershp striker was thwarted twice more by the alert second-string keeper.

Then, on 26 minutes, John Grant gave Aldershot the lead. Louie Soares supplied a fine cross and Grant's glancing header flew past Rob Burch in the home goal.

Soares nearly scored himself with a curling 25-yarder that Burch touched over the top and the Lincoln keeper stood up calmly to deny Robinson just before the interval.

Ruiz was again kept busy on the restart as City, with Sam Mullarkey replacing Horsfield, attacked with more fluency.

The home side should have equalised on 63 minutes when Ben Wright was through with just Ruiz to beat, but the forward's touch was too strong and the Venezualan saved bravely at his feet.

Aldershot saved the best for last, culminating in Davies' clinching goal.

In a superb last quarter of the game, Robinson shot inches wide after a dazzling move involving Ricky Newman, Scott Donnelly and Kirk Hudson. Soon after, Hudson was denied by Burch after an elusive run.

Then the sides went head-to-head, with Ruiz making a double block from Wright and Grant hitting the Lincoln woodwork.

Ruiz somehow kept out a deflected shot from Wright before Davies killed the game off in the 88th minute. Lincoln allowed him too much space at their peril and Davies made them pay with a rifle-shot into the roof of the net from outside the area.

The goal clearly meant a lot to the number 23 who raced straight towards the Aldershot contingent in the crowd.

Lincoln City: Burch, Beevers, Kovacs, Swaibu, Brown, N'Guessan, Oakes (Colman-Carr 70), Clarke, Kerr, Horsfield (Mullarkey 46), Wright. Subs (not used): Hone, King, Bennett. Booked: Kerr, Beevers.

Aldershot: Jaimez-Ruiz, Soares, Chalmers, Newman, Sandell, Donnelly, Cochrane, Hudson, Davies, Grant, Robinson. Subs (not used): Straker, Hylton, Hutchings, Connelly, Cox. Booked: Chalmers.

Attendance: 3,910.

Referee: Nigel Miller (Durham).