With both club's first teams in action last night, there were a lot of youngsters on display in both starting elevens though the match was no less competitive as a result.

Gillingham really should have been in front four minutes from the kick-off. Stimson's nutmeg allowed Yussuff to race clear down the left touchline, his cross found Cumbers at the far post but his low shot was cleared off the line.

Soon after Chris Palmer saw a good left foot strike touched over the bar after a neat one-two with Walker, as the visitors enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges.

The Shots first significant sight of goal came on 22 minutes, Spencer holding the ball up inside the box before laying-off to Hylton who swept his finish well wide of Hawkes' back post. That signalled a good spell for the hosts who tested the visitor's keeper with a drive from distance from Riza and a snap shot from Damian Spencer.

The home side finally broke through in the 31^st minute, Connor Essam handing possession to Danny Hylton after an unfortunate slip midway inside the Gils half. The Shots forward raced through on goal and tucked a cool finish under the advancing Hawkes.

He could have had a second five minutes later when his low strike from just inside the box fizzed past Hawkes left hand upright but the Gills were able to steady their ship until the half time break.

HT 1-0

The Shots started the second half where they left off the first, Reece Connolly heading onto the cross bar from a right wing cross and Hylton going close again with a shot across goal that dropped the wrong side of Hawkes' far post.

In the 64^th minute, Gillingham mustered a response, James Walker turning on the edge of the box before sending a powerful effort inches over the home goal.

Aldershot extended their lead six minutes later, Hudson playing a ball into the right side of the Gills box for Riza to blast back across goal and into the bottom corner.

Gillingham were desperately unlucky not to score in the 78^th minute. Andy Pugh rose well to meet Jack Payne's corner from the left at the near post but headed directly against the crossbar.

The visitors finished strongly with Cumbers heading over at the far post and Payne forcing the keeper to save with a low drive to the near post but for all their efforts, Gillingham could not conjure a consolation.

Gillingham: Daran Hawkes, Chris Palmer, Tom Waghorn, Callum Davies, Connor Essam, Rashid Yussuff, Luis Cumbers, Jack Payne (Ryan Benniman 90+2), James Walker, Charlie Stimson (Andy Pugh 71), Harry Pell.

Subs not used: Ryan Benniman, Tom Brunt, Jack Evans.

Aldershot Town: Mikhael Jaimez Ruiz, Reece Tyler, Josh Casey, Omar Riza, Peter Petrowicz, James Scott, Reece Connolly, Henrik Breymaar, Damian Spencer (Josh Pearson 46), Danny Hylton (Max Worsfold 65, James Pilgrim 82), Kirk Hudson.