Aldershot Town slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton & Hove Albion U21s in their opening National League Cup group stage game.

Hady Ghandour fired the Shots ahead, but Cameron Hargreaves’ own goal and Shane Nti’s winner gave the Seagulls victory in front of a crowd of 576 at the EBB Stadium.

The Shots started brightly and James Clarridge made good ground on nine minutes before playing a pass inside which was just too long for Tristan Abrahams.

Brighton then created a good chance in the 26th minute when a cross found Charlie Tasker at the back post, but he headed into the side netting.

The Seagulls when close again a minute later when a cutback found Nti unmarked in the box, but he blazed his effort over the bar.

The Shots went close on 32 minutes when Keane Anderson broke forward and fizzed a pass to Kiban Rai on the edge of the box, but he fired his shot over the bar.

Archy Taylor then let fly from distance for the hosts two minutes later, but his effort hit Rai in the back.

The visitors created a good chance in first-half stoppage time, when Joshua Robertson fired his left-foot shot over the bar when well placed in the box.

There was still time before the break for Josh Barrett to fire an effort from distance which went wide of the left-hand post.

The Seagulls created the first chance of the second half on 50 minutes when Tasker drove forward and fired his left-foot shot from just outside the box over the bar.

Nehemiah Oriola had a good chance for the visitors two minutes later, but his effort was well held by Shots keeper Pat Nash.

Shots boss Tommy Widdrington made a double change in the 63rd minute, with Ghandour and Ryan Hill replacing Abrahams and Barrett.

The substitutes were both involved in Aldershot’s next attack on 66 minutes. Hill was found in space on the right and cut the ball back to Anderson on the edge of the box. Anderson’s low shot was into the path of Ghandour, who couldn’t connect cleanly and bundled the ball wide.

The Shots took the lead five minutes later when Ghandour ran on to Clarridge’s well-weighted ball over the top and lobbed stranded Brighton keeper Steven Hall with an excellent finish.

The visitors got back on level terms in the 78th minute when a mix-up at the back saw Hargreaves’ pass back evade Nash and find the bottom corner.

The Seagulls went ahead three minutes later when Henry Kasvosve broke quickly and slipped a perfectly-weighted ball through to Nti, who confidently fired his finish past Nash.

Widdrington brought Joe Lewis-Evans and Haydon Vaughan on for Clarridge and Jed Meerholz on 90 minutes in search of an equaliser, but the visitors held on for the win.

Next up for the Shots is a home game against Boston United in the National League on Saturday, August 16 (3pm kick-off).