While one record was emphatically ended, Aldershot Town reinforced the reputation of Fortress Rec with a performance of great discipline, professionalism and flair.
Cheltenham’s first away defeat of the season was sealed by Scott Donnelly’s wonderfully audacious 45-yard shot in injury time, after 90 minutes that saw skill triumph over strength and The Shots move up to fourth in League Two.
For a brief period at the start of the second half, it looked as though The Robins might again snatch a result unbefitting a lifeless display, but ultimately they were well beaten. Aldershot controlled the midfield from the start, with Donnelly and Dean Parrett, in particular, exposing the visitors’ lack of composure on the ball.
Both were superb as The Shots roared out of the blocks, and they perhaps should have taken the lead earlier than the 34th minute. Morgan and Parrett went close, but it took Dave Winfield’s towering header, rising highest to meet Parrett’s corner, to finally confirm their dominance.
Haynes’ deflected 25-yard shot was Jaimez-Ruiz’s only action of the first half, and Soares should have added a second before the break, slicing the ball high and wide following a marauding run down the left from Anthony Straker.
Cheltenham, though, were a resurgent force after Martin Allen sent them out early for the re-start. Jaimez-Ruiz denied Richards and Hammonds should have done better with a header from six yards. When Soares saw a shot tipped over the bar, and Blackburn and Winfield caused panic from the resulting corners, it seemed as though Aldershot had weathered the storm, but Straker dived in with a rash tackle on Hammonds and Richards converted the penalty with ease.
The Shots responded to this challenge in style, and re-took the lead within five minutes. Donnelly’s floated free-kick found Charles in acres of space inside the area, and as his free header hit the post, he reacted first to slot in the rebound. The game was settled on 73 minutes, as Diallo misjudged Soares’ angled ball over the top and allowed Morgan to dance around goalkeeper Brown to score with ease.
Parrett departed to a standing ovation, replaced by the fit-again Ben Herd, leaving Donnelly to take centre-stage in the third minute of added time. Picking up a loose ball in midfield, and having been tipped off by his team-mates earlier in the game, he saw Brown off his line and fired a stunning 45-yard shot into the roof of the net.
The resulting pile of bodies in the centre circle – under which Donnelly was buried – was mirrored on the East Bank, as the Shots fans celebrated a six game unbeaten run and further evidence of Aldershot’s quiet, almost unheralded growth into a League Two side of no little quality.