Aldershot Town fell to a 2-1 defeat at Southend United in the National League.

The hosts started brightly and Josh Walker had two early chances.

In the eighth minute, he cut in from the left and forced Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst to turn his effort around the post.

Walker then spurned a golden opportunity to score the opening goal of the game from the resulting corner when he blasted over from close range.

Dewhurst then had to be called into action again in the 14th minute as he kept out a shot from Leon Chambers-Parillon from outside the box.

It took a little while for Aldershot’s attacks to begin to look threatening, but in the 15th minute Kai Corbett played a smart ball out to Aaron Jones on the right on the counter and the wing-back cut it back for Josh Barrett who couldn’t connect properly.

Corbett was involved again five minutes later on another break forward by the Shots as his touch sent Barrett in on goal.

A good recovery from the Southend defence put Barrett under pressure, but he made space for himself on the edge of the area before firing high over the bar.

Chambers-Parillon broke down the Southend left in the 36th minute and fired a low cross into the six-yard box that Olly Scott superbly cleared behind for a corner.

Two minutes later, Barrett was the beneficiary of a poor clearance from a Tyler Frost cross, but his half-volley was saved by Shrimpers keeper Nick Hayes.

Seven minutes into the second half, Southend took the lead. The ball was played to Noor Husin on the edge of the box and he found the bottom corner with a well-placed effort.

Just before the hour, Jack Barham raced onto a ball down the right but his powerful, first-time cross was just in front of Barrett at the far post.

The hosts spurned a golden opportunity from close range in the 62nd minute when James Golding fired the ball over the bar as he connected with a corner.

Just a minute later, Corbett’s long-range effort was easily gathered by Hayes.

The Shots went close again when the ball fell kindly to Barrett in the box and he found space to place a shot that hit the inside of the post and somehow evaded Cameron Hargreaves who had raced in for the rebound.

It then fell for Theo Widdrington to fire in a shot from outside the area that Hayes was equal to.

Aldershot were punished in the 71st minute as the hosts scored a second.

Right-back Gus Scott-Morriss made a late run to the back post to turn in Jack Bridge’s cross.

The Shots pulled one back in the 78th minute when Ryan Jones’ corner was knocked down to Hargreaves and the midfielder fired a powerful effort into the bottom corner.

The home side were defending their lead well but it was becoming increasingly more one-way traffic towards their goal as the Shots pushed for an equaliser.

As the game reached the 90th minute, Frost broke down the left and fired in a shot that Hayes turned behind for a corner.

With just a minute remaining of the additional five, a corner found the head of Maxi Mullins who had risen well in a crowded box, but he headed wide.