Caretaker Ant Calls The Shots

Managerless Hartlepool United ensured the majority of a bumper Non-League Day went home unhappy with a polished away dat display.

- Connor Laing

The Shots marked the occasion with a “Pay What You Want” scheme which drew in a crowd of 2,768 but it was the 188 visiting contingent who returned the merrier with a thoroughly deserved victory in the week they parted company with manager Craig Hignett.

Josh Hawkes put Pools in front inside four minutes and the visitors never looked back, despite Aldershot conjuring up a number of chances of their own which they were unable to convert.

And they were duly punished in the final ten minutes when sub Gavan Holohan and former Aldershot loanee Nicke Kabamba added to the Shots’ misery.

Caretaker Anthony Sweeney was delighted, yet also relieved, to start his tenure with a win.