Aldershot Town 3 Gravesend & Northfleet 2

A LAST minute winner from Ryan Scott completed a magnificent comeback for Aldershot Town and condemned Gravesend to defeat in their Nationwide Conference opener on Saturday.

Fleet's first game as a professional outfit was lit up after 24 minutes when one of the debutants Mark DeBolla sent a magnificent long-range shot into the top corner of Nikki Bull's goal.

The visitors doubled their advantage two minutes after the break when Charlie MacDonald converted from the penalty spot after he had been fouled by Rhys Day.

But the home side were back in the match less than six minutes later when John Grant scored at the second attempt after his initial header had hit the bar.

Both sides were reduced to 10 men on the hour mark. Ricky Newman was shown a straight red card for a two-footed lunge on Peter Hawkins; Hawkins also recevied his marching orders for lashing out after the challenge.

The home side adjusted better to being a man down and quickly found an equaliser when Grant notched his second of the afternoon after a low cross had found its way to him in the box.

And the comeback was complete when Scott was on hand to turn in from close range at the death.

Gravesend: Cronin, Hawkins, R Smith, J Smith, Opinel (Ricketts 44), Slatter, Quinn, DeBolla (Purcell 90), Keeling, Ekoku, MacDonald
Subs not used: Mott, Moore, Roberts.

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