A late Cameron Hargreaves equaliser earned Aldershot Town a 1-1 draw at Sutton United in the National League on New Year’s Day.

Hargreaves stoppage-time goal earned the Shots a deserved point and sent the 580 travelling supporters home happy in Aldershot’s first game of 2025.

Josh Barrett had the first chance of the afternoon in the third minute after good work from Theo Widdrington won a free kick 30 yards from Jack Sims’ goal, but Barrett’s effort was gathered by Sims.

Sims almost gifted Aldershot the lead two minutes later as he passed straight to Jack Barham 40 yards out, but the Sutton keeper made up for his mistake by charging Barham down and blocking his shot.

Sutton began to venture into attack and fired two efforts from distance to give Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst his first action of the afternoon.

Finlay Barbrook’s effort forced a save at full stretch in the 17th minute and three minutes layer Lewis Simper fired wide.

Sutton took the lead in the 23rd minute as Aldershot failed to clear their lines and the ball fell to Ashley Nadesan, who fired into the bottom corner from close range.

A couple of efforts from out wide by Barrett from the left and Ryan Jones from the right came close without threatening Sims and Sutton too much, but the Shots had a golden opportunity in first-half stoppage time.

A smart touch from Olly Scott allowed Tyler Frost to launch a counter attack and he drove forward 30 yards and laid the ball off to his left for Barrett, who could only fire wide.

Barrett looked to also have the first chance of the second half but was denied by the assistant referee’s flag as he hit the post having been found by Frost again with a nice chipped ball over the top of the Sutton defence.

Sims had to be called into action to deny a Shots equaliser in the 56th minute as Barham looked to have turned in Aaron Jones’ low cross, but the Sutton keeper reacted well to turn it behind for a corner.

And five minutes later up the other end it was Dewhurst’s good reactions denying a goal as a powerful free kick deflected off Widdrington.

A couple of chances off target for both sides followed but it was Aldershot beginning to enjoy the larger spells of possession as James Henry blasted the ball over following good work from Ryan Jones.

Sims pulled off a brilliant double save to keep his side’s lead intact but it would be his final action of the game as after denying Henry’s initial shot he bravely dived at Jonny Stuttle’s feet and received a blow to the head for his troubles while saving the effort and a change in goal had to follow.

This resulted in eight minutes of stoppage time and the Shots’ continued pressure paid off in the fourth minute of the eight as Hargreaves levelled the game.

Hargreaves cut in from the left and his low, driven effort was too powerful for Sutton’s substitute keeper Matt Kerbey and found the bottom corner.

With four minutes still remaining Aldershot looked to have sufficient momentum to push for a late winner, but were unable to test Kerbey further and picked up their third successive draw.