Lee Gregory scored his first Skrill Premier away goals since opening the scoring at Macclesfield Town last August, to hand FC Halifax Town their eighth point on the road this term.
Neil Aspin made two changes to the side that earned a 1-1 draw with Cambridge United. Josh Wilson and the suspended Scott McManus made way for Paul Marshall and Marlon Jackson. The latter along with Adam Smith and Jon Challinor were all starting against their former employers.
Proceedings had barely got underway when Simon Ainge was left withering on the turf clutching his right hip. Prompting Aspin to reshuffle his pack with Jon Worthington being brought on, Matty Pearson dropped back to right-back with the impressive Lois Maynard shunting across to centre-half.
The tentative beginning of play was halted with howls of laughter as Aldershot’s Martin Rowlands rifled a quickly taken free-kick flush into referee Craig Hicks face, causing the man in black to have a severe nose bleed.
At the resumption of play, Roberts’ through ball carried too much weight, but defensive uncertainty between Matty Pearson and Glennon saw the custodian’s shanked clearance land invitingly to Brett Williams’ feet, but he sliced abysmally wide with the goal gaping.
Aggrieved at the earlier miss the former Rotherham United forward bamboozled his way beyond Pearson and Marc Roberts. In an attempt to charge the cross down Roberts flung himself at Williams and was harshly adjudged to have swatted the ball away with his hand for a penalty.
Williams however failed to grasp the opportunity as he rolled his spot-kick wide of the post despite sending Glennon the wrong way.
A costly miss as the largely subdued Gregory showed his predatory instinct as he wriggled away from the clutches of Joe Partington and Chris Baker to slide an effort past Glen Morris.
Town had got under the skin of the hosts as dissent and a succession of misplaced passes began to rile the home faithful.
Nevertheless Bradley Bubb’s raw pace and energy overwhelmed Maynard as he drove wide of the target with only Glennon to beat.
But the hosts soon restored parity in fortuitous circumstances.
Worthington’s clearance deflected off the heels of referee Hicks into the path of Bubb who’s rampaging run and inviting cross was diverted onto goal by the out-stretched toe of Williams, which brushed the underside of the bar, only for Roberts to bundle the rebound home.
At the turn of the interval an incessant downpour of rain saturated both sets of players, the Hampshire outfit upped the anti by probing with greater intensity and width.
Bubb again swarmed forward as he rounded Glennon and stroked the ball at goal only to be denied by the superb anticipation of Roberts who pelted the shot off the line.
With the temperature plummeting and winds becoming more vicious, FC Halifax had to stay vigilant to repel the continuous home onslaughts, as Williams fired over and Mark Molesley skewed a promising sighting at goal wide.
As the East Bank spurred their team on Roberts thrived in the aerial duels as Worthington and Paul Marshall offered insurance at the heart of midfield. But skipper Craig Stanley soon gave Andy Scott’s troops the lead with the Shots entrenched in the final third.
Stanley’s free-kick delivery pierced the swirling winds and deluge of rain to fly past Glennon and into the bottom right corner.
Aldershot almost doubled their advantage as Glennon dealt with a cumbersome Challinor back-pass to eventually clear out of harms way.
Nevertheless FC Halifax stabilised themselves with Smith and Reece Gray trying to make the compact Electrical Services Stadium pitch as wide as possible, yet the clock continued to tick alarmingly quick for Halifax.
Cue Gregory to bag the equaliser.
The former Mansfield Town marksman stupendously dinked Reece Gray’s delicious through ball over the advancing Morris to restore parity for the Shaymen.
Sensing a winner both sides went for the jugular with the best chance falling to Smith, but his rasping strike whizzed over the upright.
Aldershot Town
1 Glen Morris, 2. Joe Oastler, 4. Craig Stanley, 8. Martin Rowlands, 9. Brett Williams, 11. Bradley Bubb, 14. Jordan Roberts, 15. Chris Barker, 17. Joe Partington, 19. Mark Molesley & 22. Jaydon Gibbs
FC Halifax Town
1 Matt Glennon, 5. Matty Pearson, 32. Jon Challinor, 15. Marc Roberts, 22. Simon Ainge, 18. Paul Marshall, 20. Lois Maynard, 30. Craig Clay, 7. Adam Smith, 31. Marlon Jackson & 11. Lee Gregory
Substitutes:
Aldershot Town: Manny Oyeleke (Martin Rowlands 74 minutes), Tristan Plummer (Jordan Roberts 79 minutes), Josh Scott (Mark Molesley 88 minutes)
FC Halifax Town: Jon Worthington (Simon Ainge 6 minutes) Josh Wilson (Matty Pearson 45 minutes) Reece Gray (Marlon Jackson 79 minutes)
Yellow cards:
Aldershot Town: Martin Rowlands (23 minutes), Joe Partington (48 minutes) Jaydon Gibbs (90 minutes)
FC Halifax Town: Craig Clay (65 minutes) Jon Challinor (75 minutes)
Red Card:
Goals:
Aldershot Town: Jordan Roberts (45 minutes) & Craig Stanley (65 minutes)
FC Halifax Town: Lee Gregory (34 & 83 minutes)
Attendance: 1,977 (124 FCHT fans)
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