ALDERSHOT & FARNHAM 1, BASINGSTOKE II 0

ALDERSHOT & Farnham snatched victory in the dying seconds of a tense and close-fought game.

A&F were keen to get back into action after last week’s postponement and Basingstoke, third in Hampshire 2, were always going to be a tough test. In the earlier meeting, A&F had come back from two goals down to gain a 2-2 draw.

A slightly changed Aldershot line-up, with recent recruit Ben Greene coming in for the injured Chris Edwards in defence, faced a Basingstoke attack full of running.

For much of the first half, the ball pinballed between the sides, with Basingstoke winning two early short corners. From the first, Ed Rushmere cleared from the line, while the second flashed past the back post as an unmarked forward failed to get the final touch.

Jonny Groves and Jackson Brown saw efforts go wide at the other end, but Basingstoke looked more likely to score as they forced several more short corners. The A&F defence remained resolute, though, and the pressure eased somewhat when a Basingstoke player was sent to the sin-bin.

A&F lost both Groves and Jamie Strachan to injury in the second half and Max Heaphy had to fill an unfamiliar defensive role. Despite these changes, A&F absorbed the pressure and started to make inroads. Aaron Buchanan fired under the keeper but narrowly wide after good work from George Rooke in midfield to steal the ball.

And it was the Farnham side who snatched all three points in the final moments. Alan Coote intercepted the ball on the left and Brown forced his way into the D before being fouled by a diving defender.

The short corner was flicked goalwards at high speed by Ian Jennings and although the ball was stopped on the line by a covering defender, the bouncing rebound was struck home clinically by the onrushing Rob Jervis, sending the home team into raptures.

The final whistle went before Basingstoke could launch one last attack.

Second-placed A&F remain four points behind leaders Bournemouth II who thrashed Gosport 9-0.