Aldershot Town 0, Solihull Moors 3ALDERSHOT Town remained utterly compliant as Solihull Moors produced a clinical and muscular performance which encapsulated their status as the National League’s surprise new leaders.

Nathan Blissett, part of Macclesfield Town’s title-winning squad last season, plundered the hat-trick which sealed a thoroughly-deserved victory, but The Shots appeared beaten as much by their own lack of confidence and cohesion as the opposition’s strength and efficiency.

Gary Waddock’s team mustered just one shot on target in the entire 90 minutes – a long-range, first-half effort from John Goddard which Ryan Boot comfortably pushed away – and the manager declared himself “embarrassed” by the 17-game winless run.

“I try to protect the players, but whatever we try we still have the same outcome,” observed Waddock, whose signing of former Leyton Orient and Wolves defender George Elokobi took the number of players used this season to 31.

“I’m getting fed up saying the same thing again and again, but are we learning from it? It’s frustrating as hell. The players are waiting for words of wisdom from me, but there comes a point when they have to find a way within themselves.

“I lead these players and have to back them, but this horrific run, and where we are in the league table, is unacceptable. I believe (that we’ll avoid relegation), I’m as positive as anybody, but I don’t enter the field of play. They need to believe.”

Solihull took a 14th-minute lead as The Shots again conceded from a set-piece. Jamey Osborne floated a free-kick through the penalty area and Blissett reacted first after imposing centre-half Liam Daly nodded the ball back into the goalmouth.

Dom Bernard’s driven cross evaded everybody as it flew through the six-yard box, and Scott Rendell was crowded out as he attempted to divert Bernard Mensah’s pull-back toward goal, but after the break there was scant sign of any urgency from the hosts.

Even with just the single goal there was little danger to the Moors’ lead, and instead it was they who grew stronger in the final quarter.

Waddock was magnanimous in his assessment that “Solihull are very effective in what they do, and massive credit to them”, and in Blissett they had the perfect spearhead to their attack. Put through by Jermaine Hylton’s incisive pass, he lifted the ball over the advancing Will Mannion to effectively seal victory with 17 minutes remaining.

He completed his hat-trick with the very last touch of the game as he chased another forward pass to score from the edge of the box in the fourth minute of stoppage time. His celebrations were delayed by a hefty collision with Mannion which left both players needing attention, but soon he was able to claim the matchball.

Often derided for being direct and rambunctious in their approach, in truth Solihull Moors were everything Aldershot Town need to be in their final 14 games. Whether they have it in them, however, is something which even their manager appears to doubt.

Aldershot Town: Mannion; Bernard, Menayese, Elokobi, Finney; Howell (McDonagh 67), Booty, McDonnell; Goddard (Grant 61), Rendell (Gallagher 81), Mensah. Subs (not used): Cole, Lelan.

Solihull Moors: Boot; Vaughan (Williams 79), Daly, Gudger, Reckord; Osborne, Storer, Carter, Hawkridge (Hylton 67); Yussuf (Carline 86), Blissett. Subs (not used): Flowers, Agboola.

Attendance: 1,199.