Aldershot Town reached the fourth round proper of the FA Trophy with a 3-1 win at home to Wealdstone.

Goals from Josh Barrett, Aaron Jones and Maxwell Mullins were enough to give the Shots the win in front of a crowd of 1,172 at the EBB Stadium.

The Shots created the first chance of the afternoon in the third minute, but James Henry fired over the bar when well placed in the Wealdstone box.

The home side went close again on eight minutes when Barrett’s ball found Jack Barham, but Barham’s shot from just outside the box was blocked.

Wealdstone created their first chance in the 12th minute when Henry Sandat fired a low ball across goal, but Alex Reid couldn’t quite get on the end of it.

The hosts nearly took the lead on 20 minutes after a free-flowing move. A one-two between Ashley Akpan and Barrett sent Akpan clear down the right and his delivery into the box picked out Henry, but Henry’s guided effort was well held by Wealdstone keeper Toby Steward.

Shots keeper Jordi van Stappershoef made his first save of the afternoon in the 24th minute when he got down smartly to palm away Reid’s low shot.

The hosts went back on the attack and nearly took the lead when Barrett’s free kick picked out Dan Ellison, but his header into the ground bounced just over the bar.

The Stones then went close just before half-time when Sandat’s 42nd-minute shot was well blocked by Van Stappershoef.

The Shots were quick out of the traps at the start of the second half and nearly took the lead in the 46th minute when Henry’s pass found Barham, and his powerful right-foot shot forced a good save by Steward.

The opening goal arrived four minutes later when Barrett received the ball in the box with his back to goal before spinning and firing a right-foot shot into the bottom left-hand corner past the wrong-footed Steward.

The Stones were back on level terms on 55 minutes when Elliot Thorpe drove down the right flank and picked out Kallum Cesay, who calmly placed his finish into the bottom left-hand corner.

The Shots should have regained the lead four minutes later when Akpan’s pass found Barrett in the box, but Barrett dragged his shot wide of the far post.

Aldershot went back in front in the 68th minute when a corner was played short to Jones, and he arrowed a superb shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net from 25 yards out.

Sandat nearly got the visitors back on level terms two minutes later when his spectacular shot from distance curled just wide of the far post.

The Shots thought they had gone 3-1 up on 81 minutes when Tyler Frost’s low cross was turned in by Mullins at the back post, but the goal was disallowed for offside.

Micah Obiero went close for the visitors a minute later, but his shot went wide of the near post.

New signing Jonny Stuttle nearly made it 3-1 in the 86th minute, but his effort was blocked into the side netting.

The Shots did get their third of the afternoon on 90 minutes when Mullins raced onto a back pass and fired his finish through Steward’s legs.

Aldershot saw out seven minutes of added time to book their place in the fourth round proper of the FA Trophy.

Next up for the Shots is a trip to Solihull Moors in the National League on Tuesday, December 10 (7.45pm kick-off).