Assistant manager Hugo Langton praised the character of his Aldershot Town players for making a big comeback in the 90 minutes of their FA Trophy tie at Eastleigh and finishing the job from the penalty spot.

Langton was addressing the media afterwards in the absence of manager Tommy Widdrington, banished from the dugout in advance of the game, and assistant manager Richard Dryden, who received a straight red card early in the match.

He said: “We’ve come from 2-0 down quite a few times this season and the players deserve a lot of credit because they don’t know when they’re done. They just keep going and keep going and keep going, and when Jack came on and made it 2-1 we had that feeling.

“When the full-time whistle went I asked a very simple question – ‘who wants a penalty? – and they all volunteered. I think that speaks volumes about them.”

Langton believed Aldershot’s improvement after a poor first half was largely down to the players remembering “who we are” after the break.

He said: “We didn’t look like us, we weren’t playing like us, we weren’t passing the ball like us. The things that are our identity just weren’t present, but they were more so in the second half.

“Sometimes you’ve got to not necessarily tinker with stuff. We moved a few players around positionally but it was more just about reminding us of who we are and where we’re at.

“The people that are behind the goal over there have come to watch them go be us and play like Aldershot Town.”

Jack Barham proved to be the classic inspired substitution, instantly scoring the goal that sparked the Shots revival then wrapping things up with the winning penalty.

Langton credited managerial telepathy between him and Widdrington for the crucial change.

He said: “I know how Tommy thinks and what he wants. Sometimes he can look at me up in the stands and I can’t always hear him – and sometimes I choose not to hear him! – but I know what he wants and he wanted Jack on the pitch and that was clear, so that’s what we did.”

Goalkeeper Jordi van Stappershoef’s afternoon started badly with the first goal but ended brilliantly with his penalty save, and Langton was full of praise.

He said: “It was a great save. He’s a great goalkeeper, a great guy, and we love having him in.

“These were special moments, with the noise that came out of the away end and the appreciation of seeing everyone happy.”