ALDERSHOT will take a two-goal cushion into the second leg of the Hampshire Senior Cup semi-final, but the tie is far from resolved.
Andover, who have already knocked Basingstoke out of the competition, will put up a tough challenge on their own ground on March 25 and Aldershot, the cup holders, will need a more committed performance than they gave on Tuesday night.
The youngsters did their club proud, but Terry Brown was disappointed with the contribution of some of the senior players – and let them know it afterwards.
"Again, we were in the mode of just doing enough to win games," said the manager who pointed out that only an injury-time goal had given Aldershot a decent lead.
After a goalless first half, Mark Hammond put Aldershot in front with a superb free-kick from disatnce. It was his first goal on his first start for the side.
But the floodgates did not open. Andover, currently sixth in the Jewson Wessex League Division I, continued to put up stern resistance, despite having Paul George sent off for a second bookable offence.
As the game drifted into injury time, Michael Harper, Aldershot's best player on the night, made it more respectable when he cleverly made room for himself to score with a cracking shot from just outside the area.
Aldershot remain on course for a return to Southampton's St Mary's Stadium for the cup final in May, but they will need to improve on this stop-start performance.
Aldershot: Howells, Cooper, Chewins, Sowden (Browne), A Charles, Warburton, Hammond, L Charles (Holsgrove), Harper, Perkins (Walker), Buckle.
Aldershot have to break down the meanest defence in the division when they travel to Billericay this Saturday. The sides drew 0-0 at the Rec in November and Billericay have conceded only 26 goals in 33 games this campaign.
Terry Brown is likely to start with the side that beat Hampton 4-0 on Saturday, with Anthony Charles keeping his place ahead of Jason Cousins who tweaked a hamstring.
"This is a tried and trusted line-up," said Browne. Goalkeeper Nikki Bull is now fully fit, but Gareth Howells has done nothing wrong since returning to the side.