Tim Sills missed a hatful of scoring chances for the Shots in a frenetic opening spell.

Matthew Somner made the Shots pressure pay after 16 minutes when he fired home from close range following a Ryan Williams corner.

Lee Phillips missed Exeter's best chance of a leveller late on when his shot was parried by Nikki Bull.

Aldershot: Bull, Barnard, Somner, Heald, Brough (Winfield 82), Watson, Crittenden, Holloway, Williams, Tinnion (Scott 74), Sills.
Subs Not Used: Weait, Sulaiman, Deen.

Booked: Somner, Barnard, Heald, Watson.

Goals: Somner 16.

Exeter: Paul Jones, Billy Jones, Sawyer, Todd, Taylor (Mackie 58), Cronin (Robinson 78), Farrell, Challinor, Phillips, Buckle (Flack 82), Woodards.
Subs Not Used: Rice, Gaia.

Att: 3,136

Ref: R Lee (Essex).