Aldershot 1, City 0

It was the same old story for sorry City last night.

The same result as last season; even the same scorer.

The same scenario for Peter Taylor on a ground where he has now lost all four of his visits with various clubs.

And far more significantly, the same negative outcome as the Oxford and Barnet games. Three defeats in a row has left the Bantams sinking fast.

While Aldershot’s new manager Dean Holdsworth celebrated his first triumph in charge on his home debut, Taylor must be scratching his head as to where the next points are coming from.

After back-to-back defeats, it had been a big night for City. It was a huge one for Jon McLaughlin.

Taylor had made it clear that Lenny Pidgeley’s spot in goal was far from safe after his blunder for Oxford’s equaliser.

And while the decision was taken out of the manager’s hands after Pidgeley was sent back home suffering with a migraine, the onus was on McLaughlin to prove he could keep the shirt.

There were two other changes from Saturday, with James Hanson and Shane Duff both fit to return. Hanson’s presence in particular gave the side a better balance as they looked to claw back lost ground from recent costly defeats.

On paper, City were at the best place to rectify the Barnet and Oxford slip-ups. The Shots had the worst home record in the division, losing their previous four EBB Stadium outings.

But this was their first home appearance under the new gaffer, so there was just as much at stake for their players as the visitors.

McLaughlin was called into action after just two minutes to beat away Ben Harding’s 30-yard free-kick. Danny Hylton nodded the rebound back towards goal, where David Syers was handily placed to snuff out the danger.

But City had two big chances to snatch an early lead – both falling to Tom Adeyemi.

Fantastic work down the right from Richard Eckersley set up the first, which was well blocked by centre half Darren Jones.

Seconds later, Adeyemi had his head in his hands after another golden opportunity went begging. Hanson knocked the ball down into his path but Adeyemi fired straight at the keeper from close range and Hanson stabbed the loose ball wide.

Adeyemi and Eckersley linked well again as the right back overlapped for a shot but could not connect properly. It was a positive spell and Luke O’Brien looped a header over from Robbie Threlfall’s cross.

But City were stunned by a double blow midway through the half. Lee Bullock had to hobble off after landing awkwardly in a tackle – and before City had chance to readjust properly, Aldershot struck the first blow.

Peter Vincenti’s pass was volleyed goalwards by Anthony Charles, whose shot carried too much power for McLaughlin as it flew inside the near post. The keeper should have done better but he could also ask why Charles was allowed to turn so easily.

The Shots centre half had scored the only goal in City’s last visit ten months ago and now he had rocked them right back on their heels again.

Syers was booked for bringing down Guttridge right on the edge of the area – his seventh yellow card. But McLaughlin spared City further punishment as he flung himself to tip away Harding’s free-kick.

Omar Daley got his first real opening to run and cut inside menacingly before testing Jamie Young at his near post.

Adeyemi had moved central to cover Bullock’s absence with Leon Osborne taking up the right flank, although the substitute had seen very little of the ball.

By contrast, Aldershot right winger Jermaine McGlashan had won a flurry of corners and was giving Threlfall plenty to think about.

City had faded badly since the goal and there were worrying shades of Saturday as they struggled to keep the ball whenever it was going forward, which allowed the hosts on to them more and more.

The Bantams put themselves under more pressure at the start of the second half. Duff gave the ball away too casually as he carried it out of defence and Eckersley hauled down Hylton in a dangerous position.

Duff claimed he was pulled down as the free-kick came over but got up in time to make a vital block from Jones.

The game had grown scrappy while City looked for a way back in. Osborne’s run was checked on the edge of the D and Daley ran into a similar brick wall.

There was nothing to suggest a recovery was imminent as Taylor tried to shuffle things by replacing the Jamaican with Gareth Evans on the hour.

City’s small contingent of away fans finally made themselves heard when Threlfall’s free-kick was punched away by Young. The 128 loyal followers had little to cheer and Small nearly increased the pain when he was given plenty of space to try his luck from distance.

Eckersley tried to provide a spark with an energetic burst upfield but O’Brien wasted it with a poor cross. Hanson flicked a tame shot straight into Young’s arms but the Shots keeper had not been seriously tested since that brief first-half flurry.

Small nodded wastefully wide after he was left free to meet Ben Herd’s cross and City almost made him pay when Evans’ drive deflected wide.

Taylor played his final card 11 minutes from time as Mark Cullen made it a three-man attack in place of Threlfall. Straight away the teenager could have been a hero but looped his header over the bar.

Cullen then miscontrolled by the touchline and gave away a sloppy goal kick; it was a night when little had gone right for the men in white.

There was a flicker when Syers burst through on the keeper but he was flagged offside.

But a third straight defeat has left City languishing further than ever from their top-seven target.

Attendance: 2,160