Aldershot Town won 3-0 at eighth-tier Sittingbourne to reach the semi-finals of the Isuzu FA Trophy for just the third time since reformation.

A sell-out Staxson Stadium was in great voice from the off.

The Shots controlled possession early on, with the hosts' pragmatic gameplan evident from the outset.

Jack Barham produced the first shot in anger, collecting an audacious long ball from Josh Barrett, cutting in from the left and firing over the bar.

The Brickies responded quickly and a determined drive into a congested Aldershot penalty area resulted in a speculative cross-cum-shot that failed to trouble Shots keeper Marcus Dewhurst.

Aldershot were soon back on the attack and Tyler Frost’s left-foot cross asked serious questions of the Sittingbourne defenders, who did well to deal with the danger.

The Shots received a scare on the 25-minute mark when Sittingbourne forward Joe Boachie’s volley was blocked at close range, prompting cries of handball from the surrounding home support to no avail.

A procession of home corners showed Aldershot's initial control was waning.

With the home crowd growing more excitable by the minute, the hosts would have been in on the break if not for an excellent last-ditch tackle from Will Armitage.

It would be the side from Kent who would produce the best chance of the first 40 minutes.

The hosts broke down the right wing and a driven low ball drifted across the six-yard box, with Boachie failing to get a toe to it.

With half-time beckoning, the visitors would eventually break the deadlock.

A tremendous display of hold-up play allowed Barham to drive into the penalty area via the left-channel and square the ball to a late-arriving Ryan Jones, who took a composed touch before firing into the roof of Roco Rees' net for a hard-earned 1-0 lead.

The second half started much like the first, as Aldershot looked comfortable in possession once more.

Jones avoided several Sittingbourne challenges on the right before chipping the ball into Theo Widdrington, whose cushioned header allowed Barrett to fire an effort from the edge of the box which was deflected wide.

A flurry of free kicks in the Shots' favour would raise the decibel level of a frustrated home crowd, as the fixture was beginning to be contested almost exclusively in Sittingbourne's half.

Armitage and Christian Maghoma's assuredness at the back would largely quell a Sittingbourne resurgence towards the hour mark.

However, the home side’s resolve grew and they entered Aldershot’s penalty area three times in quick succession, although they failed to produce an effort on goal.

With the wind beginning to set in, Richie Hamill’s corner almost went straight in but Dewhurst made a smart save.

Sittingbourne would put the ball in the back of the net, though an expertly-timed offside trap rendered Troy Howard's dinked finish redundant.

Aldershot doubled their lead when Barrett's corner found the head of Armitage, who nodded home from close range to make it 2-0.

The Shots made it 3-0 in the 88th minute when Frost found space on the edge of the box and his low drive found the bottom left-hand corner to secure the Shots' place in the final four.

Aldershot will host local rivals Woking in the FA Trophy semi-finals. The tie is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 5 (3pm kick-off).