Lorent Tolaj nets late brace as Aldershot produce stirring comeback

Lorent Tolaj scored twice late on as Aldershot completed a remarkable turnaround to beat rock-bottom Maidenhead 4-2 and climb into the National League play-off spots.

In a dramatic first half, struggling Maidenhead raced into a 2-0 lead as Chanka Zimba scored twice, the first the simple task of putting the ball into an empty net after great build-up play from Ashley Nathaniel-George and Reece Smith, then finishing a swift counter-attack in the 22nd minute.

But Coby Rowe headed Aldershot back into the contest from an Ollie Harfield corner in the 36th minute, and they were level moments later as Harfield’s cross was turned in by Jack Barham – with both goals confirmed by the assistant referee as Maidenhead attempted to scramble them off the line.

Tolaj put Aldershot in front nine minutes from time, finding space on the edge of the box to turn and curl a shot past Craig Ross, and then added another deep into time added on as Barham laid it on a plate.