Aldershot Town extended their unbeaten run to six games with a superb 3-1 win at home to Scunthorpe United in the National League.

First-half goals from Sean Patton (2) and Brody Peart gave the Shots all three points in front of a crowd of 2,568 at the EBB Stadium.

The Shots were quick out of the traps and took an early lead in the eighth minute. Hady Ghandour cut inside from the left and hit his shot straight at Scunthorpe keeper Rory Mahady, who spilled the ball to Patton, who gleefully poked home the rebound past Mahady from close range.

Aldershot doubled their advantage on 16 minutes when a quick counter attack saw Shots captain Ryan Hill thread a pass through to Patton, who showed excellent composure to shift the ball on to his left foot and arrow a low shot across goal past Mahady and in off the inside of the right-hand post.

The Shots nearly scored a third in the 20th minute when James Henry picked up the ball on the left-hand side and passed inside to Ghandour, whose curling right-foot shot from just outside the box went just over the bar.

The hosts went close again four minutes later when Will Nightingale's ball over the top was chased down by Patton, who passed inside to Henry in the box, whose low shot was well blocked.

The Iron nearly pulled a goal back on 27 minutes when Alfie Beestin slipped a well-weighted pass through to Zain Westbrooke in the box, but Shots keeper Coniah Boyce-Clarke was quick off his line and made an excellent save from point-blank range to deny Westbrooke.

The visitors went close again a minute later when Ross Barrows tried his luck from range with a right-foot shot which was parried behind for a corner by Boyce-Clarke.

The Shots went 3-0 up in the 33rd minute when a through ball down the right-hand side was cleverly left by Henry, allowing Peart to run on to the ball and calmly slot his finish through the legs of Mahady.

Aldershot were then awarded a penalty on 38 minutes when Hill was fouled in the box, and referee George Laflin pointed to the spot. Hill stepped up from the spot, but fired his right-foot penalty well over the bar.

Scunthorpe nearly pulled a goal back in the 42nd minute when Oliver Ewing slipped a pass through to Callum Roberts, whose shot across goal was deflected behind for a corner.

The Shots had a chance to score a fourth before the break when Nightingale headed a free kick back across goal to Ghandour, whose right-foot half-volley went just over the bar.

Shots boss John Coleman made one substitution at half-time, with Tristan Abrahams replacing Peart.

The Iron started the second half quickly and pulled a goal back on 49 minutes when Westbrooke was played through on goal and his right-foot shot was parried away by Boyce-Clarke to Danny Whitehall, who calmly slotted home the rebound.

Henry nearly restored Aldershot’s three-goal advantage in the 56th minute when his free kick from the left-hand side caught everyone out and hit the outside of the near post.

The Shots went close again five minutes later when Ghandour cut inside from the left and squared the ball to Henry on the edge of the box, whose shot went just wide of the left-hand post.

Scunthorpe nearly pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when Roberts broke Aldershot’s offside trap and drove into the box before hitting a shot goalwards which was pushed behind for a corner by Boyce-Clarke at his near post.

Coleman made a double change in the 68th minute, with Luke Jenkins and Ryheem Sheckleford replacing Henry and Matt Penney.

Aldershot nearly scored a fourth two minutes later when Nightingale's teasing cross from the right found Ghandour at the back post, whose header went just wide.

Patton had a big chance to complete his hat-trick on 72 minutes when Jed Meerholz burst into the box and squared to Patton, who fired his effort well over the bar.

The Iron almost scored a second in the 87th minute when Joe Starbuck cut the ball back to Aidan Dausch, whose shot was superbly blocked by Boyce-Clarke at close range.

The Shots comfortably saw out the closing stages to make it five wins and a draw from their past six National League games.

Next up for the Shots is a trip to Braintree Town in the National League on Wednesday, February 25 (7.45pm kick-off).