THERE was disappointment for Tranmere Rovers boss Micky Mellon after his were beaten 2-1 by Aldershot Town at the EBB Stadium.

The team had a first-half lead when Stephen McNulty headed home from close range on 17 minutes but The Shots scored two late goals to take the win as Fabien Robert and Scott Rendell netted in the final ten minutes.

With a strong wind behind them in the first 45 minutes, Rovers took advantage and put in a strong first-half performance on Saturday.

With the first real opportunity of the game, a right wing corner by Jeff Hughes was swung in and headed home at the back post by McNulty to give Rovers the lead.

Trying to use the pace of James Norwood and Dylan Mottley-Henry on the break, Rovers caused a few problems but without threatening the goal too often.

Norwood, Connor Jennings and Jay Harris were particularly harrying the Aldershot defence and making it difficult for the home team to get out of their half, especially with the wind at their faces.

The hosts had to wait until the final five minutes of the half for any chances on goal, Will Evans firing over the bar before Scott Davies saved from Robert who hit an effort which moved this way and that with the wind.

Aldershot put Rovers under pressure from the first whistle of the second half but in the early stages, they failed to carve out any chances on goal.

The first goalscoring opportunity of the half fell Rovers' way as a left wing cross found Norwood at the back post but his header was well saved by Jake Cole.

Jay McEveley replaced Mottley-Henry just after the hour-mark as Micky Mellon changed to a back three.

His first act was to head an effort from Robert off the goal line as The Shots increased the pressure with a succession of corners.

McNulty blocked a number of shots which rained on the Rovers goal before Jim Kellermann and Evans had efforts over the bar.

The scores were levelled on 80 minutes when a cross by James Rowe was half cleared by McNulty and Robert was on hand to fire home from 12 yards.

This further lifted the hosts and Davies made a good save to deny Kellermann before the Shots midfielder, four minutes into added time, sent over a deep cross which Scott Rendell nodded home at the back post to give the home team all three points.

Mellon said after the game: "To go in a goal up at half time, we knew we’d be facing the wind in the second half and we didn’t seem to be able to adapt.

"There were too many balls going into our box, we weren’t able to stop the crosses and there were too many corners to defend and, unlike us, we didn’t have enough quality going forward.

"We're disappointed.

"When we got the ball back, we have to be better with it. Yes, there was a strong wind, but you have to adjust and adapt to that.

"We had two young players (in the full-back positions) who came in and I thought they did very well.

"That's a big bonus for us to see two young ones come in and can do that.

"Young Eddie on his first appearance of the season has come in and done terrifically well and Mitch has done a really good job for us as well, we need to give them the necessary credit for that."

Rovers National League campaign continues with a game against Hartlepool United on Tuesday night, 7.45pm kick-off.