Aldershot Face Toughest FA Cup Test Against High-Flying Shrews

That`s because the Shots must travel to the highest-placed team in the First Round draw – SkyBet League One leaders Shrewsbury Town.

In a division that boasts heavyweights such as current second-placed Wigan Athletic, Bradford City, Blackburn Rover, Blackpool and Portsmouth – all of whom have very recent top-level experience – for the Shrews to be top of the table is a fantastic achievement.

It`s also a tick in the box as far as National League managers are concerned as current Shrewsbury boss Paul Hurst (pictured) has done a marvellous job since leaving the relative comforts of his post at Grimsby Town, having led them out of the non-League game via the Promotion Final in 2016 at Wembley.

In a short space of time, Hurst`s achievement in guiding the Shrews to the summit has meant his name has already been linked with jobs higher up.

Aldershot head to the Montgomery Waters Meadow having lost their last league game, 3-1 at Barrow AFC, but are sitting just below the play-off places and manager Gary Waddock possesses an exciting young side who are good to watch.

They also have several players who will be using the FA Cup as a `shop window` for their talents – players such as former Watford winger Bernard Mensah, who was highly-rated at Vicarage Road and it was therefore surprising when they let him go.

But he has been a revelation for the Shots and has attracted attention already from higher clubs.

As has defender Cheye Alexander, once on the West Ham academy, and striker Shaun Okojie, who at one time in his career, the 6`3” former Corinthian-Casual attracted interest from no less than fourteen League clubs.

The Shots, in its current form, have reached the Fourth Round back in 2012/13 when they were rather unluckily beaten 2-1 at the Riverside by Championship side Middlesbrough, whose Lukas Jutkiewicz scored in the 6th minute of stoppage time!

To reach that stage, the then-League Two Shots had beaten Rotherham United with a Danny Hylton hat-trick in the Third Round, won 3-2 at Fleetwood Town`s Highbury in round two and saw off Hendon at home 2-1 in the First Round.

When Paul Hurst took over as Shrewsbury boss in October 2016 to replace Tranmere Rovers-bound Micky Mellon, the team were bottom.

He kept them up against the odds and has now turned them into a promotion-chasing team with one player in particular who will be extremely keen to do well should he feature in defender Omar Beckles.

Beckles joined the Shrews from Accrington Stanley in the summer, having made 45 appearances for the Shots in 2015/16 prior to earning a move to Stanley.

Well-travelled forward Stefan Payne had a very brief spell with Aldershot in 2012, but the former England C man was remembered by Hurst for his 33 goals in 84 games for Dover Athletic between 2014 and 2016.

This is sure to be a fascinating tie with a well-supported Aldershot side eminently capable of taking Paul Hurst`s team back to the EBB Stadium for a replay.