Aldershot Town extended their unbeaten run to five games in all competitions with a 2-2 draw at home to Braintree Town in the National League.

James Henry and Josh Barrett were on target for the Shots as the points were shared in front of a crowd of 1,437 at the EBB Stadium.

The visitors were quick out of the traps and took the lead in the third minute when Kyrell Lisbie expertly drilled his right-foot finish across Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst and into the far corner of the net.

Braintree had an excellent chance to double their advantage on nine minutes when Chay Cooper drove forward and slipped a neat pass through to Jermaine Francis, who was through one-on-one with Dewhurst but hit his right-foot shot across goal wide of the far post.

The Shots created their first chance of the evening a minute later when Dejan Tetek slipped a pass through to Jack Barham, who hit his right-foot shot wide of the near post.

The visitors came close to a second in the 13th minute when a corner was flicked goalwards by Matt Robinson at the near post, but Dewhurst showed good reactions to tip the ball behind.

Aldershot nearly equalised in spectacular style on 15 minutes when Barrett’s audacious chip left Braintree keeper Henry Gray stranded and hit the underside of the bar and bounced to safety.

The Shots did get back on level terms a minute later when Ashley Akpan cut in from the right and picked out Henry, who took a touch and caressed a composed right-foot finish into the bottom left-hand corner past a flat-footed Gray.

Braintree nearly regained the lead in the 20th minute when Cooper’s shot from just outside the box was smartly parried away by Dewhurst.

It was the Shots who went ahead on 24 minutes when a ball down the left-hand channel found Barrett, and he superbly lobbed his effort over the stranded Gray and into the empty net.

Braintree nearly got back on level terms five minutes later when Lisbie drove into the box and hit a low left-foot shot which was well blocked by Dewhurst at his near post.

The Iron did get back on level terms in the 40th minute when a cross from the right eventually found John Akinde, who had the simple task of tapping into the empty net.

The visitors had an excellent chance to go ahead in first-half stoppage time when James Vennings’ corner picked out the unmarked Lisbie at the back post, but he inexplicably put his header wide of the target.

The Shots created the first opening of the second half on 48 minutes when Barrett’s ball over the top picked out Henry, who rounded Gray but ended up too wide of the goal and Gray recovered to win the ball.

Akinde went close to claiming his second of the evening for the Iron in the 55th minute, but his powerful shot went just over the bar.

The second half was a much tighter affair than the first half, which had been incredibly open, with clear-cut chances at a premium in the second period.

Tyler Frost, Cameron Hargreaves and Kai Corbett all came off the bench as Aldershot looked for a winner.

The Shots had an excellent chance to go ahead in the 78th minute when Frost’s inviting cross found Theo Widdrington at the back post, but his effort from a tight angle hit the woodwork and went wide.

The home side went close again three minutes later when Akpan’s cross was headed down by Barham to Frost on the edge of the area, but he dragged his shot wide of the near post.

Barrett was next to try his luck for the Shots on 87 minutes, but his curling effort from just outside the box was well tipped behind by Gray for a corner.

The hosts went desperately close a minute later when Frost’s header from a corner hit the post.

Akinde had a golden chance for the visitors in stoppage time, but he put his free header at the far post wide of the target and the points were shared.

Next up for Aldershot is a trip to Oldham Athletic in the National League on Saturday, January 18 (3pm kick-off).