THIS may have ultimately been another comprehensive defeat for injury-ravaged Aldershot Town, but there were at least tentative signs of renewed urgency and spirit.

Able to name only three substitutes in addition to a make-do-and-mend starting line-up augmented by the loan signing of Barnsley striker Gerry McDonagh, manager Gary Waddock again cut a hugely-frustrated figure after seeing his side take the lead in a promising opening period only to eventually fall to a hat-trick from the unlikely figure of Harrogate centre-back Warren Burrell.

“I thought first half we gave a very good account of ourselves, then we lose a player again. We lost another two players to injury (today) that are going to be out for some time. It’s tough at the moment. If this game had been on Thursday we’d have had to call it off as we only had eight players,” sighed Waddock, who also bemoaned a lack of finances and the quality of his team’s “worn out” training pitch.

“Teams around us are offering two-year contracts and paying big money, but we’re bringing in players on loan and paying a percentage of their salary. It’s becoming very difficult for us and that’s hard to accept.”

Yet they had started in positive fashion with several dangerous counter-attacks. On 14 minutes, one such raid found Luke Wanadio on the left, and his second attempt at a low cross was pounced upon by Adam McDonnell, who scored from seven yards.

McDonagh then brought a fingertip save from James Belshaw, but with virtually their first chance of the game, on 32 minutes, Harrogate exploited a familiar Shots weakness – in defending set-pieces – to equalise. Callum Howe found far too much space beyond the far post to nod Joe Leesley’s floated free-kick into the goalmouth. Dominic Bernard deflected Dominic Knowles’ own header onto the crossbar and Burrell reacted first to the dropping ball to stab it in from close range.

Minutes before the goal, Marvin McCoy had been injured in attempting a recovery tackle, and his half-time departure saw a further disruption to the Shots team, as midfielder Jake Gallagher switched to right back. Substitute Matt McClure fired a shot just wide on 48 minutes, but thereafter Harrogate seized a degree of control in predictable fashion.

Knowles and Howe headed inches past the post, only for Burrell to find the target on 53 minutes. Making a strong run to the near post to meet Leesley’s corner, he flicked a header into the net to confirm Harrogate’s comeback.

Burrell hadn’t scored in his previous 48 games yet was allowed to complete a 38-minute hat-trick as he was granted ample space to head Leesley’s free-kick past Will Mannion.

“Set plays have cost us today and that’s not right,” assessed Waddock, who will have been equally worried by the sight of McDonnell limping off in the second-half. “If it’s your responsibility to pick up an opposing player, you make sure he doesn’t score.”

Finally, in injury time, Belshaw’s huge clearance dropped over Karleigh Osborne – one of several players forced back into action despite a lack of fitness – and Jack Muldoon finished in style to seal another all-too-predictable tale of woe for The Shots.

Harrogate Town: Belshaw; Fallowfield, Howe, Burrell, Kitching (Kerry 73); Thomson, Falkingham, Emmett (Woods 90+1), Leesley; Knowles (Williams 73), Muldoon. Subs (not used): Beck, Cracknell.

Aldershot Town: Mannion; McCoy (McClure 46), Bernard, Lelan, Kinsella; Gallagher, Booty; Wanadio, Grant (Barrett 58), McDonnell (Osborne 74); McDonagh.

Attendance: 1,362.