FOREST GREEN 2, ALDERSHOT TOWN 1

ALDERSHOT Town had what would have been a hugely encouraging draw snatched from their grasp in an enthralling finale at the New Lawn on Saturday.

Forest Green showed precisely why they are well clear at the top of the National League by snatching the three points at the death, just three minutes after Aldershot had drawn level.

The Shots, including 266 vociferous travelling supporters, endured the full gamut of emotions during the closing stages.

Jake Gallagher drove home the equaliser on 88 minutes, sparking scenes of joy at the away end, only for Christian Doidge to break Aldershot hearts with his second goal of the game in stoppage time.

Gary Waddock described it as “a cruel blow,” but once the pain and frustration dissipated he would have taken pride from his side’s resurgent performance.

The visitors pushed their exalted and extravagantly bank-rolled opposition all the way.

Very much second-best during the first half, the Shots came roaring back and thoroughly deserved Gallagher’s goal.

Yet Rovers will also feel that they created ample chances to warrant victory, and in striking the last, decisive blow in the final moments, perhaps showed a true champions spirit.

“We’re bitterly disappointed and to go away with nothing is tough to take,” said Waddock, who highlighted two games against promotion favourites where the Shots have not earned the rewards their displays deserved.

“We’ve gone to Dagenham and Forest Green, put in two very good performances, and ended up with zero points. It’s cruel, because of the effort of the players and the way they played in the second half.”

Charlie Walker was wayward with two early half-chances, but Rovers had already asserted their territorial dominance when, on 16 minutes, Liam Noble – the game’s outstanding player and one of the most cultured midfielders in the division – floated an angled pass over Callum Reynolds for Doidge to stab the ball past Jake Cole.

At times, Aldershot struggled for a foothold in the game but should have been level when Shamir Fenelon turned inside the box and brought a save from Sam Russell, only for Iffy Allen, under pressure from Aaron Racine’s sliding challenge, to touch the rebound wide from six yards.

The second half, though, was an altogether different story. Forest Green continued to create chances – substitute Keanu Marsh-Brown twice fired wide of the far post in as many minutes – but Aldershot were a renewed force.

Matt McClure and Noble swapped similar chances, shooting wide across goal, while 16-year-old substitute Idris Kanu imposed himself on the game for the Shots.

With the clock ticking down, Kanu used strength and tight control to wriggle past three close markers. In turn, Cheye Alexander found Nick Arnold whose incisive pass into the penalty area invited Gallagher to shoot past Russell.

Glorious chaos ensued at the away end, but the jubilation was short-lived. In added time, the Shots momentarily switched off at a throw-in and allowed Noble to curl in another teasing cross from deep, from which Doidge glanced a header across goal and past Cole in virtual slow motion.

Aldershot have already had to stomach their fair share of disappointment this season, but sixth place in the table is still ample evidence of progress.

Forest Green: Russell; Clough, Pinnock, Traore (Sinclair 40); Racine, Noble, Carter (Frear 62), Wishart; Murphy (Marsh-Brown 62), Tubbs, Doidge. Subs (not used): Kelly, Moore.

Aldershot: Cole; Alexander, Evans, Reynolds, Arnold; Fenelon (Straker 76), Bellamy, Gallagher, Allen (Kanu 46); Walker (McClure 68), Rendell. Subs (not used): Smith, Saville. Booked Allen.

Referee: Karl Evans.

Attendance:1,638 (266 away).

* Aldershot travel to second-placed Lincoln City this Saturday. The Imps beat Altrincham 2-1 in the FA Cup last weekend to earn a lucrative second-round home draw against League One side Oldham on December 3.

Woking will host Accrington Stanley in round two after their 4-2 victory at Stockport County.