The experienced Shots playmaker was stretchered off just minutes into the second half after falling awkwardly under an innocuous challenge from Canvey Island's Jeff Minton.
Lee lay motionless on the Park Lane surface for a full seven minutes until paramedics and the club doctor could stretcher him away and rush him to Southend General Hospital with a broken bone protruding from his foot.
After emergency surgery on Tuesday night, Lee was left facing a further three days under hospital observation, knowing that he will not kick another ball for a year at the very least.
News on Wednesday, however, was that Lee's operation was a complete success, although the 25-year-old has had metal pins and plates inserted to mend severe damage to the ankle and fibula.
Lee's horror injury overshadowed another disappointing night for the Shots and, in particular, manager Terry Brown, for whom things are going from bad to worse.
With no fewer than six first team regulars out, including three centre midfielders, Lee was the only recognised senior player available in that position and gave the new-look squad much-needed stability in this period of transition.
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“This puts everything into perspective,” he said. “Everything else is academic when something like this happens.
“You can't help but feel hollow. Dave Lee is such an honest man and a great footballer, who's given us such good service since he's come here.
“To know he isn't going to kick another ball this year will be my over-riding memory of this place.
It's not a very lucky ground for him, he got sent off here last year when he was the best player on the park and today he was dominating that midfield. It's very sad.”
Lee's plight, coupled with injuries to Steve Watson, Gary Holloway and, more recently, Chris Nurse, gives Brown a massive headache prior to Saturday's trip to Halifax Town with 18-year-old Ryan Scott, who made his debut for the Shots alongside Lee on Tuesday night, his only recognised replacement.
The boss is now desperately hunting for more temporary cover — even if it means using up his full quota of four short-term loans in the first week of the season.
The loss of Lee leaves Brown with a very inexperienced and thread–bare line-up, marshalled heavily by loan players and youth team players who have only just made the grade up.
Without disrespect to any of them, who each worked their socks off for the cause, it was no coincidence that Canvey Island only forced their way into the game once the dominant Lee was off the field.
Things could, however, have been a lot different early on as the Shots struggled to adjust to the new 3-5-2 formation, which was forced upon them.
As a result of their slow start, dangerman Lee Boylan looked like he was to enjoy a field day and but for the guile and agility of goalkeeper captain Nikki Bull he would have done, while putting the game to rest inside 20 minutes.
But suddenly, however, the Shots, driven by Lee in the centre of the park, began to find their feet and, against the run of play, it was they who took the lead.
A corner from the left was only half-cleared by Canvey to Ahmed Deen on the flank and his deep cross to the far post was headed home past Richard McKinney by Scott Guyett.
Guyett's fellow loanee Chris McPhee could, and should, have put the Shots 2-0 up, only to fire wide when through on goal, but Brown had reason to be more than pleased with his troops as the half time whistle went.
But before he and his assistant Martin Kuhl could settle into their seats for the start of the second half, disaster struck.
Lee stole a yard on Minton in the centre circle and powered his way forward, only to be caught by the Canvey man's out-stretched boot.
The tackle was late and the resulting booking justified, but Lee's failure to get up, lying motionless on the ground was a shock to everyone.
The solemn Shots, on witnessing the injury and seven pain-staking minutes that Lee was being treated, then had the near-impossible task of re-grouping and keeping their heads up once young Dave Winfield replaced the departed player.
This, naturally, proved difficult as the pendulum swung heavily in Canvey's favour, leaving Brown to endure a long, hard final 20 minutes with his new-look defence well and truly under the cosh and Boylan proving to be a constant menace.
That said, the introduction of new signings Hassan Sulaiman and Lewis Hamilton added renewed vigour and pace to the Shots attack which twice they went close to extending the lead through fit-again Tim Sills and Sulaiman's 18-yard drive.
But with five minutes left, the home pressure finally told.
Allan Tait finally unlocked the Shots defence with a fine through ball and after getting the better of Tobi Jinadu, Boylan wriggled clear before firing home past Bull.
Even then, a point would have been acceptable to the boss, but little did he know, his luck was to run out on him once again.
With just 20 seconds of normal time remaining, Minton took a quick free kick to Tait, who was then subsequently bundled to the ground by the inexplicably rash Jinadu.
Referee Harris had no alternative but to point to the spot and Boylan rammed home what proved to be the winner past the despairing Bull.
Aldershot's saving grace was the ten minutes added on for Lee's injury, but, both physically and mentally drained from another hard night at the office, they could find no more.
Despite the result, Brown would have taken much encouragement from the work ethic of the young lads, who certainly did him proud on the night.
Scott was one of the best players in red and blue, while young defender Dave Winfield would have learned much from his night against Boylan, for which he earned much credit.
Although obviously dejected, the boss raved: “I was really proud of all the players today. There was loads of square pegs in round holes and they gave me everything they could.”
SHOTS: BULL 9; Sulaiman 7, Jinadu 6, Guyett 7, Hamilton 7, Scott 7, Lee 7 (sub Winfield 53mins, 7), Sills 7 (Kitson 69, 6), Deen 6, Brayley 7 (Crittenden 80), McPhee 6. Not used: Gordon, Weait.
Ref: M Harris 7. Att: 1,210.
With thanks to the Aldershot News.
UPDATE: Shotsweb have reported that they have been told that David may be out for over a year as he will face two further operations within the next 10 months.