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A mixture of defensive frailty and impressive finishing ensured that the visitors embarked on the long journey home contemplating two points dropped rather than one gained.
“I am absolutely stuck for words as to why we couldn't hold onto that lead,” said boss Terry Brown.
“I am not going to castigate individuals here because collectively that was a poor performance and we have thrown away two very valuable points here.
“We came here putting round pegs in square holes and I know I haven't got a strike force at the moment. It was a scrappy game and we had the rub of the green with both goals.
“We spoke about not giving them a goal as they wouldn't get their heads up but we gave them the goals. All we had to do was see the game out but we just gifted them two goals.”
Scarborough started the match under the guidance of experienced campaigner Neil Redfearn, who was named caretaker manager following the dismissal of Nick Henry last week.
“We've come here when they're struggling, but they deserved something out of the game, I've got no complaints about that,” Brown added.
“What I have complaints about is the defending as I felt we didn't function today. I'm struggling to find any positives other than the fact that John Brough and Tarkan Mustafa did all right when they came on.
“The fans were magnificent and generously clapped the boys off as I certainly wasn't happy. I'm the one that sets the team up and sends them out there with a job to do, but if they don't do that it's down to me as well,” added Brown.
The boss was forced to shuffle his pack with the enforced absence of Tim Sills and Matt Somner through suspension.
Hassan Sulaiman switched to right back with Gary Holloway again forced to play out of position, joining Omari Coleman up front.
Brown, however, sprung a surprise in the starting line-up by opting to start with transfer-listed Tobi Jinadu at the back, despite having completed a one-month loan deal for Millwall defender James Rose.
Rose, 20, who turned out for the Shots in their 4-3 reserve team victory over Wycombe last Wednesday, could only command a place on the bench much to the fans' surprise.
In truth, it was a scrappy first half with the only effort on target being Aldershot's opening goal in injury time — and that being in somewhat fortunate circumstances.
Ahmed Deen was upended down the left-hand side which saw Boro's Neil Bishop booked in the only caution of the afternoon.
Darren Barnard floated the resulting free-kick into the danger zone where Heald rose well to head towards goal.
Keeper Leigh Walker made a fine parry only to see the ball ricochet in off Jinadu, who knew little about the effort.
Seconds after the break the Shots went 2-0 up when a precise Barnard corner caused all kinds of problems in the six-yard box and the ball struck home defender Chris Hughes at the far post and rolled over the line.
At this stage you suspected that there was no way back for Scarborough. But on the back of five successive defeats and morale at a low ebb, the match was there for the taking. But as is all too familiar, that just wouldn't be the Aldershot way.
Indeed on 56 minutes Bishop produced a through ball down the right hand side that should have been cut out; Mark Quayle latched on behind Jinadu and unleashed a fierce drive that gave keeper Nikki Bull no chance.
The spurred-on Seadogs attacked again almost immediately and with the Shots defence looking unstable Quayle provided a deft lay-off into the path of Boro's teenage substitute Michael Coulson who rifled another firm finish from 12 yards to send the home supporters into raptures.
Tony Hackworth came close to putting the home side in front as he saw an effort cannon off the bar as the visiting bench needed to do something quickly to preserve even a point.
Enter John Brough, making a long-awaited and welcome return, at the expense of Omari Coleman, leaving no recognised striker on the pitch.
His entry on Saturday certainly steadied the ship as Brown changed the formation with Brough at the heart of a back line three with Heald and Jinadu, while Nick Crittenden joined Holloway up front.
Coulson tested keeper Bull with a lob just over the bar and Hackworth's 20 yards drive drifted just wide. However, with time running out, both sides would have accepted a share of the spoils in a bizarre game that will never be billed as a classic but certainly had its share of strange encounters.
With the Shots still targeting a Play-Off place, boss Brown concluded that there is no room for error if his team is to match his expectations.
“We never got going in midfield and weren't effective in that department as well as the defending. We are conceding two goals a game and that is not good enough. You can't keep needing to score three goals to win matches.
“It's all right to look at the form and say that it's picking up but after today we've taken a massive step back as that is certainly two points dropped,” added Brown.
With the expected striker yet again not materialising in time for Saturday's match, the boss still has some work to do.
He commented: “I need to work out an effective midfield, and I need to get a signing in but I'm fed up of saying that.”
Shots: Bull 6, Sulaiman 6, Heald 6, Jinadu 4, Barnard 6, Crittenden 5, Boucaud 7, Scott 5, Deen 5 (sub Mustafa 45mins 6), Holloway 5, Coleman 5 (Brough 61, 6). Not used: Weait, Rose.
Ref: M Oliver. Att: 1,682.
With thanks to the Aldershot News.