ALDERSHOT TOWN 0, TRANMERE ROVERS 3

ALDERSHOT Town have a mountain to climb in the second leg of their play-off semi-final after capitulating to Tranmere Rovers at a packed EBB Stadium tonight.

The Shots went into their home leg boasting the best defence in the National League, while goalkeeper Jake Cole had just scooped the two Player of the Year awards.

But the Aldershot defence looked anything but secure and it was an uncharacteristic mistake by Cole that led to Tranmere’s killer second goal just after half-time.

The crowd of 5,614 – easily Aldershot’s highest of the season – included VIPs such as Chelsea’s chairman Bruce Buck, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Mick McCarthy amongst others – but Aldershot failed to do themselves justice and by the finish if was Tranmere’s vociferous 896 fans who were chanting “We’re going up.”

With only three minutes gone, the Shots were dealt a hammer blow when Jeff Hughes dispossessed Jim Kellermann and crossed low for Cole Stockton to score with a neat shot.

The early breakthrough settled Tranmere nicely and only a timely block by Callum Reynolds denied them a second goal. The Wirral side had a narrow escape themselves as Bernard Mensah’s shot hit the bar and Aldershot looked sharper at the start of the second half.

But just three minutes in, with conditions now very wet, Cole dropped a routine cross from Liam Ridehalgh and James Norwood was able to almost walk the ball into the net.

Norwood clipped the crossbar with an angled drive soon after, while Mensah – again Aldershot’s best player – saw a header loop narrowly over the top.

The bulky Steve McNulty, the man the fans love to hate, got away with some sly tricks, but he was undeniably excellent in Tranmere’s central defence and Aldershot could find no way through.

On 75 minutes, the Shots lost possession as they threw men forward and Norwood, breaking smoothly down the left, played the perfect pass for Stockton to stroke the ball past Cole for his second goal.

Aldershot now need a miracle at Prenton Park on Saturday.