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There was an outstanding display from Chris Todd in the heart of United's defence, but you could pick out five-star shows right through a United side which was full of commitment, ideas and quality.
United made one change, with Zebroski coming into the attack on the left wing for Kevin Hill.
And, with hundreds of Gulls fans massing behind the covered end at The Rec, there was a lively atmosphere from well before kick-off.
The Gulls could not have made a better start.
After only five minutes a Chris Hargreaves block set Lee Phillips away on the left.
And, although Phillips lost control as he tried to force his way into a shooting position, the ball dropped for Sills.
His left-foot shot from 15 yards was just about on target, but Scott Davies wasn't sure and his hesitant touch helped the ball into the net, with Shots goalie Nikki Bull well beaten.
The ball was skidding off the greasy turf, and it took both sides a little while to adjust.
In the tenth minute Sills went close again, meeting a Kevin Nicholson free-kick with a powerful far-post header, which Bull did well to push wide.
And from Nicholson's follow-up corner, John Grant's miss-header was only just cleared off his own line by Shots defender Anthony Straker.
United were certainly committed - they picked up three bookings in the first 20 minutes, for Sills, Zebroski and centre-half Chris Todd.
But referee Nick Kinseley did seem a little whistle-happy, blowing up several times when he could have played the advantage.
It was a well-contested match, but United looked the more dangerous near goal and in the 15th minute they put together a five-man move down the left, involving Nicholson, Zebroski, Phillips, Nicholson again and finally Bedeau, who headed wide when he should have volleyed a chance at the far-post.
Sills went close again, set up by Phillips, as United's two front men continued to work hard to spearhead the attack.
But then Aldershot, desperate to follow up their opening day win at Kidderminster, upped their game and had two near-misses.
Grant laid the ball off for Rob Elvins to shoot just over from 20 yards.
Then Grant held up well, setting up Louis Soares for a cross-shot which Steve Woods deflected behind for a corner.
And in the 31st minute Todd rescued United with a great defensive header, under pressure from Grant, on a cross from former Barnet winger Soares.
Seconds later Soares cut the ball back for
defender Rhys Day to fire over Simon Rayner's bar.
A spell of fierce home pressure ended in the 35th minute when Grant was left clear with Rayner to beat, but the United goalie pulled off a key save with his legs.
And when the ball was launched back into United's goalmouth, Grant headed just wide.
Sills and Nicholson, with a 25-yard drive just wide of the right-hand post, kept United on the front foot in the closing stages of the first half.
And when, in the 39th minute, Shots defender Charles fouled Phillips just outside the box, Lee Mansell hit a sweet free-kick which Bull just tipped round the left-hand post at full-stretch.
Todd, always in the thick of the action, came up with a terrific double-tackle to deny Elvins on a Grant header.
And Elvins blasted a good chance over for the Shots, although it was skipper Woods' last-ditch challenge which deflected the ball over the bar.
In the 41st minute Bedeau, who had soldiered on after an early knock, went off to be replaced by Stevens.
And first-half stoppage-time United's substitute scored a brilliant second goal, his first at senior level.
Stevens seized on a loose ball on the edge of the area, left a defender for dead and cracked a 16-yard right-foot shot past Bull's left-hand.
Whistle-happy Mr. Kinseley started the second half as he had finished the first, booking Phillips for a foul on Bull when he actually chose not to go through on the Shots goalie.
As the rain poured down, United made and missed two more great chances.
First Sills' powerful header from a Stevens cross was acrobatically tipped over by Bull.
Then sheer hard work by Phillips worked a wonderful opening, but the Gulls striker shot wide with only Bull to beat.
But United did not have long to wait to make it 3-0.
In the 56th minute Stevens forced a corner on the right.
Nicholson took it short with the Gulls' sub, cut in and delivered a cross to the near-post where Zebroski got across his man to power home an unstoppable header from close-range.
They may have been trailing, but Aldershot were not a spent force.
Twice on the hour Nicholson pulled off two outstanding goalline clearances, from Harding and Soares, after Rayner had missed a cross - a rare mistake by the Gulls' goalkeeper.
Aldershot manager Gary Waddock tried to pep his attack with two changes - strikers Kirk Hudson for Gier and then Jonny Dixon for Davies.
Buckle, too, felt it was time for another switch, and in the 65th minute he sent new signing Ishmael Welsh on for Sills, who left to a generous ovation from both sets of fans.
Welsh went to the left wing, with Zebroski joining Phillips up front.
Still United pressed on, Nicholson sending a 20-yard drive just wide and then Phillips holding his head in frustration as his goalmouth header skimmed off a defender for his side's tenth corner of the match.
It had been such breathless, end-to-end action that a relatively quiet spell midway through the second half was almost a relief.
But Zebroski's pace and the eager skills of Stevens always threatened an Aldershot defence forced to push up in increasing desperation to try and get back into the match.
Rayner pulled off an outstanding double save from Grant - he didn't know that the offside flag was up.
But Welsh, showing a real burst of pace for the first time, soon had United on the attack again, dashing away on the left and crossing for Zebroski to miss the ball by a whisker at full stretch.
The rain finally eased off in the last ten minutes, but United's concentration certainly didn't.
In the 87th minute Buckle made his third attacking substitution - Elliot Benyon for Zebroski - just to try and keep things positive.
Another quicksilver run by Stevens, roared on by the Gulls fans, was only ended by a shirt-tug from Straker, but Mr. Kinseley for once played on - and the attack fizzled out.
No matter. The final whistle brought a standing ovation for United, from their own fans and many home supporters - a fitting tribute to an outstanding performance.
Source: http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk