Shots manager Dean Holdsworth spoke to BBC Radio Surrey following last nights 1-0 home victory over play off chasing Torquay United and he told them: "At stages it has to be ugly. The players are improving on their knowledge and know-how.
"The players had to earn it tonight. We weren't under pressure and we weren't getting over-run.
"It was a good battle and a good challenge. This has given us a bit of confidence.
"We're still not where I want us to be but we're getting there. We're a decent side and a test for anybody."
Meanwhile, Gulls boss Paul Buckle told BBC Radio Devon: “We're disappointed, we haven't played at our best and we've fallen a bit short.
"I thought in the first half we were controlling the game with the ball but we let ourselves down with the final pass.
"As the game wore on it looked like it had draw written all over it and in the end we've switched off from a corner and we've paid the price."
To hear both interviews in full, click here.
Posting on Torquay United website Torquay Fans.com supporters had this to say:
“No complaints with the result, we were very poor today.
”We got the basics wrong tonight, every time we had the ball, we lost it due to poor passing. Aldershot weren't great themselves, but if you were a neutral, you would have said that Aldershot were the team fighting for the play-off spot.
”The goal, I thought Potter could have closed down the angle from the cross, but maybe I'm just being pitty.
”Decent atmosphere in the first half from both sets of fans, stood next to a few fellow dotnetters, but overall a pretty poor evening.
”Stevens and Zebs I thought were poor. Kee gave us a bit more attacking momentum when he came on and we were unlucky not to have a penalty when Branston was clearly pulled to the ground, but nothing given from the ref, who I thought was ok, not great but one of the better refs we'll have this season.
”Can't understand why Bucks would bring on Ellis when we should be looking to attack, maybe to try and balance the defence?, I'm not sure.
”Could have done with the points as we've got two tough matches next. Still no complaints from me, we got what we deserved tonight, and that was nothing.” – tktufc91
“Desperately poor game between two pretty ordinary sides. Aldershot were slightly better 2nd half and gave Torquay a lesson in how to close a game out which I hope our players took note of.
”The first half was as forgettable a half as I have ever seen. Yes we did try and pass the ball but whats the point if it's at the feet of Robertson to BRanston to Nicholson to Branston to “Mansell to long ball to headed away and back to Robertson again. We created nothing.
”Give away the most simplest of goals and we never showed the sort of quality needed to break down any team in this league. Bucks options were limited, he tried to change it but our bench is full of defenders or defensive minded players. All of our attacking players were off colour, their keeper hasn't had to get his kit dirty and Aldershot (not a very good side) won't keep an easier clean sheet all season.
”Not a great way to spend ones birthday! Really disappointed, it's one of those games that's popped up again (like Cheltenham) where we had a serious chance of putting pressure on the top 7 and whenever that door opens, we never walk through it. We lack ruthlessness in both boxes and we lack that bit of mental toughness, may be because apart from one or two our team is a young one but its so disapointing. We should have won at Morecambe and Cheltenham, and we should have been strong enough and good enough to say ok we've been crap tonight but we'll take the 0-0 draw. Because it was a 0-0 type of game, neither side created anything of note. Yet we lose the game.
”It's that lack of real cutting edge in both boxes that is going to mean we end up short this season, unless the board can take a calculated gamble and allow Bucks to add another 2 or 3 players. We really are short of attacking changes and we still need a full back.” – royalgull
“Cant disagree with whats been said we were woeful. From one of our best performances of the season to one of the worst. I cant recall us having a shot on target the entire game. Personally thought we should of had a penalty from the free kick when one of our players (didnt catch who) was hurled to the ground before we'd even took the free kick!
”Dont know what was with us tonight we seemed afraid to shoot and always took one too many touches which always resulted in Aldershot re grouping and clearing any danger with relative ease. Was a poor game between two poor sides on the night in all honesty” - AlexGulls
Shots Talk posters had this to say:
“Well done Shots wasn`t particularly pretty especially first half but thought Charles and Jones defended well thought Gutts was probably the only goal threat we had to be honest until Mekki came on, Must say the lad Mekki did more in 5 mins than Albert mustered in a whole half doesn`t seem to have his heart in it and everything he did do went wrong.
We are really missing Jermaine and Alex Rodman as we don`t have enough flair without them, and you do wonder where a goal will come from, If Mekki can do what he did all game then would start with him, he changed the game in the 2nd half well done to him.” – Ian G
“Good second half performance tonight after a poor and some what boring first half, created some good chances and actually whipped in some good crosses which resulted in a neat finish by Gutts. We were pretty solid defensively for the most part a few little blips but recovered well. Don't rate Jarrett at all just another passenger we've signed on loan, was anonymous in the first half and was glad to see Mekki given a go, he did well put himself about early on and got stuck in and he wasn't afraid to take on the left back, guilty of trying to do too much sometimes but a good performance overall by him, seems similar to Hylton.” – Aldershot-jg
“Poor first half with an awful, very boring style of play!
”Better second half but still not great.
”I thought Adam Mekki was superb. Changed the match for us with his energy, enthusiasm and pace. Be really surprised if the ratings panel don't give him an 8 or a 9! Adam deserves a place in the starting line-up at Cheltenham.
”Send Jarrett back to Lincoln ASAP. He doesn't look interested.” - Alex