Aldershot Town slipped to a narrow 3-2 National League defeat at home to high-flying Forest Green Rovers in new Shots boss John Coleman’s first home game in charge.

Rovers raced into a 3-0 lead inside an hour and held on for all three points despite a spirited comeback by the Shots in front of a crowd of 2,219 at the EBB Stadium.

The visitors had the first shot of the afternoon in the sixth minute when Jayden Clarke passed the ball to Harry Whitwell, whose right-foot shot from distance was well blocked by Ben Jackson on the edge of the box.

Rovers went close again two minutes later when Aidan Dausch cut in from the left and hit a low shot which was well held by Shots keeper Pat Nash.

The Shots had their first shot at goal on 17 minutes when Ryan Jones played a short free kick to Cam Hargreaves on the edge of the box, whose shot was blocked. The ball rebounded back to Hargreaves, who played a pass out to Jones on the right wing who cut inside onto his left foot and hit a curling left-foot shot which was well held by Forest Green keeper Harry Isted.

Aldershot then won a free kick in a dangerous position on the left four minutes later. Jones delivered the free kick into the box and Will Nightingale flicked the ball on to Sam Inwood, whose close-range header was straight at Isted.

The visitors broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute when Clarke won possession on the edge of the box and played Kyle McAllister in on goal, who calmly placed his finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net past Nash.

Rovers nearly doubled their advantage four minutes later when Clarke slipped a pass to McAllister on the edge of the box, who took a touch before firing his left-foot effort off the underside of the crossbar.

The Shots almost got back on level terms on the half-hour mark when Tyler Frost spun sharply on the edge of the box and hit a left-foot shot which was deflected behind for a corner.

The visitors went 2-0 up on 38 minutes when Laurent Mendy cut the ball back from the right to Dausch, who helped it on to Clarke who calmly stroked his right-foot finish into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Aldershot almost pulled a goal back in the 43rd minute when a quick free kick found Inwood, whose shot was well held by Isted at his near post.

Rovers nearly scored a third before half-time when Harvey Bunker’s pass found Clarke on the edge of the box, whose effort was deflected behind for a corner.

Coleman made a triple change at half-time, with Keane Anderson, Will Armitage and Kiban Rai replacing Dejan Tetek, Jackson and Frost.

The visitors had the first chance of the second half on 47 minutes when McAllister got clear down the right and his cross found Dausch, whose flick goalwards was held by Nash.

Rovers went close again two minutes later when Ryan Inniss knocked the ball down to Mendy, who smashed his effort against the left-hand post.

Jones did well down the left for Aldershot in the 53rd minute and delivered a low cross into the box which was put behind for a corner by Abraham Kanu.

Jones whipped in an excellent ball from the left six minutes later which found the leaping Kwame Thomas in the box, but Thomas couldn't guide his header goalwards.

Rovers scored for their third of the afternoon on the hour mark when Mendy rolled the ball to McAllister in the box, who cut inside onto his left foot and stroked his finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The Shots nearly pulled a goal back three minutes later when Armitage’s half-volley from the edge of the box was well held by Isted.

Aldershot did pull a goal back in the 68th minute when Jones drove forward to the edge of the box and his left-foot shot took a big deflection and dropped to Ciaran Gilligan, who calmly placed his finish into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

The Shots scored their second of the afternoon three minutes later when a looping cross from the right-hand side was headed home by Thomas at the back post to make it 3-2 and get the Shots firmly back in the game.

Rovers almost extended their advantage in the 77th minute when Bunker’s strike from distance was well held by Nash.

Coleman made his fourth change of the afternoon on 86 minutes, with Tristan Abrahams replacing Gilligan. The Shots boss made his fifth and final change three minutes later, with Matt Penney replacing Inwood.

The hosts pushed hard for a leveller in the closing stages, but Rovers held on to claim all three points.

Next up for the Shots in the National League is a trip to Rochdale on Saturday, November 15 (3.03pm kick-off).

The Shots will be in action in the Hampshire Senior Cup on Tuesday, November 11, when they will travel to Southern League Premier South outfit Basingstoke Town (7.45pm kick-off).