Ten-man Aldershot Town’s winless start to the season continued as they fell to a narrow 3-2 at home to Boston United in the National League.

Goals from Hady Ghandour and Tristan Abrahams weren’t enough for the Shots, as goals from Lenell John-Lewis (2) and Greg Sloggett gave the Pilgrims the three points in front of a crowd of 2,595 at the EBB Stadium.

The Pilgrims had the first shot of the afternoon on four minutes when Sloggett’s close-range shot was well saved by Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst.

The visitors then took the lead in the tenth minute when John-Lewis got on the end of Jordan Cropper’s inviting cross and superbly headed home from close range past Dewhurst.

The Shots created a good opportunity to get back on level terms on 21 minutes when Cameron Hargreaves broke quickly and played the ball out to Ghandour on the right, who took on his man and fired his shot just over the bar.

The Pilgrims broke straight back up the pitch and nearly doubled their advantage when Kieren Donnelly’s shot went just wide of the near post.

The open nature of the game continued, and Josh Barrett twisted and turned on the edge of the box in the 23rd minute to make space for a shot, but he couldn’t get enough power in his effort which was comfortably saved by Boston keeper Rhys Lovett.

The Shots produced a good move three minutes later when Maxwell Mullins did well down the right and cut the ball back to Hargreaves, who turned his man and fired his shot into the side netting.

Aldershot’s hopes suffered a setback on 27 minutes when they were reduced to ten men when Theo Widdrington received a straight red card from referee Ross Martin for a full-blooded tackle on Sloggett.

The ten-man Shots continued to look for a leveller, and James Clarridge’s good ball into the box found Ghandour, who drifted wide and cut the ball back invitingly across goal but couldn’t find a team-mate.

Boston created a good opportunity to double their lead in the 36th minute when Ben Grist drove forward and clipped the ball into the box to Donnelly, who hooked his first-time effort just over the bar.

The Shots nearly got back on level terms in first-half stoppage time when Dejan Tetek broke forward and fired his left-foot shot just wide of the right-hand post.

There was still time before the break for Clarridge to try his luck from range, with an effort which was well gathered by Lovett.

Aldershot started the second half brightly and nearly equalised on 47 minutes. Clarridge’s ball forward down the right found Ghandour, whose ball into the box found Barrett, but Barrett fired his half-volley just over the bar.

The Pilgrims then broke straight back up the pitch, and Alex Lankshear’s effort from the edge of the box went over the bar.

Boston doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute when Dylan Hill won the ball high up the pitch and slipped a perfectly-weighted through ball to John-Lewis, who produced a composed finish into the bottom corner past Dewhurst.

The Shots responded perfectly to that setback and halved the deficit two minutes later when Barrett’s fine pass found Ghandour, who confidently picked out the bottom right-hand corner to make it 2-1.

The Pilgrims went back on the attack and Donnelly worked a yard of space on the edge of the box before shooting just wide.

Clarridge then produced an excellent last-ditch challenge to stop Donnelly getting his shot away in the box on 61 minutes.

Aldershot boss Tommy Widdrington made his first change of the afternoon two minutes later, with Kwame Thomas replacing Barrett.

Widdrington then made his second change in the 67th minute, with Noah Watson replacing Mullins.

The Shots continued to look for a leveller, and Tetek tried his luck from outside the box on 75 minutes, but he hit his effort straight at Lovett.

Boston then went 3-1 up two minutes later when Sloggett let fly from distance and his effort took a deflection off Clarridge on its way past Dewhurst into the back of the net.

Aldershot pushed for a way back into the game and went close in the 79th minute when Tetek’s deep cross found Will Nightingale, whose looping header was cleared for a corner.

The Shots went close again soon afterwards when Hargreaves’ cross found Jed Meerholz at the back post, whose volley was well tipped over by Lovett.

Widdrington made a triple change on 83 minutes, with Kiban Rai, Archy Taylor and Abrahams replacing Hargreaves, Ryan Hill and Meerholz.

Abrahams soon made his mark when he got on the end of Taylor’s cross and fired an excellent finish into the bottom right-hand corner in the 89th minute to make it 3-2 and get the Shots back in the game and set up a grandstand finale.

Six minutes of added time were indicated, and the Shots thought they found an equaliser on 96 minutes when Taylor fired home, but Martin had already blown his whistle for a foul on Lovett.

Next up for the Shots is a home game against Eastleigh in the National League on Wednesday, August 20 (7.45pm kick-off).