ALDERSHOT TN 0, EASTLEIGH 2

FIVE games to play and it’s looking increasingly likely that Aldershot will enter the National League play-offs only through the back door after picking up just one point from their two Easter holiday matches.

The Shots seemed travel-weary after their trip to the West Midlands on Good Friday and were outplayed by a capable Eastleigh side in the Hampshire derby on Monday.

True, Aldershot were unlucky with a number of marginal decisions, but Eastleigh had clearly done their homework and carried out their game-plan with great efficiency. Defend in numbers, use their big central pair to win the aerial exchanges and counter-attack through through their nimble midfield play-makers. The on-loan pair of Ryan Broom (Bristol Rovers) and Sam Matthews (Bournemouth) were excellent in that department, while Ryan Cresswell barely put a foot wrong at the back.

Having said that, Aldershot were a shadow of the side who outclassed Boreham Wood a week before. The crossing was awful, even from corner-kicks, and too many passes went astray – even allowing for the wet and greasy surface.

Perhaps it was a bad omen when fit-again Jim Kellermann brought a fine save from his own goalkeeper, Lewis Ward. And then again as Matt McClure, sent through by Fabien Robert’s imaginative pass, appeared to be tripped by goalkeeper Graham Stack, only for the Shots striker to be booked for diving.

Ward got a strong hand to Mark Yeates’ drive and, at the other end, Kellermann’s low shot forced an equally good save from Graham Stack, but Aldershot went closest to the breakthrough when Shamir Fenelon pounced on a rare error by Cresswell and crossed to an unmarked Josh McQuoid who sliced his shot ten yards out.

Having blunted Aldershot’s firepower with their containing tactics, the Spitfires took flight with the crucial first goal a minute before half-time.

Matthews, after a lightning dash down the right, over-hit his cross, but Yeates thumped the ball back from beyond the far post and Chris Zebroski’s instinctive header bounced inside the upright.

Eastleigh were out early for the second half, clearly meaning business, and their regimented back line continued to balk the Shots, frequently forcing them to pass backwards.

Gary Waddock was soon making changes, Bobby-Joe Taylor on for McQuoid and Scott Rendell for Robert. Taylor injected more urgency, but McClure and Rendell should have asked more questions of Eastleigh’s defence.

Instead, the visitors doubled their lead in the 63rd minute. Again, the pacy Matthews did the spadework, after which Zebroski crossed from the right and lone striker Paul McCallum shoved his way through a crowd to score with a strong header. A push, howled the fans, but referee David Rock saw nothing amiss.

McCallum, Yeates and Broom all had chances to add a third as Aldershot chased the game with increasing desperation.

The Shots must have known it was not to be their day when McClure and Rendell finally strung something together and slipped in Fenelon who dragged his shot wide of an inviting goal. Finally, a red-faced James Rowe missed converting a corner when it seemed easier to score.

Left-back Lewis Kinsella put in a shift for Aldershot and the timing was unfortunate when, moments after blazing a shot high over the East Stand, he was announced as man of the match.

Other results favoured Aldershot who remain fifth in the table, but they cannot afford any more slip-ups at home and need to beat Maidenhead this Saturday. Their final four opponents include Tranmere and Sutton, both away. It’s hardly an easy run-in.

“Bitterly disappointed,” said Gary Waddock tersely. “Just a very, very poor display. We’ve no divine right to be in the play-offs and we’ll have to work extremely hard to get there.”

Aldershot: Ward, Alexander, Evans Reynolds, Kinsella, Robert (Rendell 62), Oyeleke, Kellermann (Rowe 65), McQuoid (Taylor 55), Fenelon, McClure. Booked: McClure, Oyeleke.

Eastleigh: Stack, Togwell (Williamson 77), Boyce, Cresswell, Wood, Miley, Matthews, Broom (Green 90), McCallum, Yeates (Hollands 83), Zebroski. Booked:?Togwell.

Referee: David Rock.

Attendance: 2,853 (172 away).