EX-Leyton Orient striker Aaron McLean scuppered Bashley's chance of a first Hants Senior Cup triumph at St Mary's last night.

But any doubts about the New Forest side's potential for Premier Division football were swept away by a thoroughly professional performance against Conference new boys Aldershot Town.

Nineteen-year-old McLean emerged as the Shots' two-goal hero, but it was Bash who had grabbed the tie by the scruff of the neck with a cracking right-foot shot from Craig Anstey on ten minutes after Paul Sales had headed down Aaron Cook's free-kick.

The Foresters, who narrowly missed the promotion boat from the Dr Martens Eastern Division, could easily have scored more in an absorbing encounter which manager Barry Blankley - four times a county cup winner with Saints (twice), Aldershot and Basingstoke - described as: "One of the best finals I've ever been involved with."

With Southampton-based Sales a colossus in the air and his Romsey sidekick Richard Gillespie chasing every ball down, Bash had the Shots defence on the ropes at times and even Terry Brown, manager of the Ryman Premier champions, admitted: "They had one or two players who could easily grace the Ryman League or even the Conference.

"They didn't hoof the ball, they played very good football. The number nine (Sales) caused us all sorts of problems. He won every header and had good distribution."

While McLean was officially named man-of-the-match, Bash produced a superhero of their own in the shape of 20-year-old reserve goalkeeper Mike Hookway.

Drafted in to replace car accident victim David Elm, the former Bemerton stopper showed remarkable coolness under pressure as Shots upped the second-half tempo.

Hookway had blocked well from non-League international Roscoe D'Sane in the 24th minute, but with the dependable Aaron Cook frantically trying to clear the loose ball, McLean pounced to slide the rebound home.

But if that goal had an air of fortune about it, McLean's 70th-minute winner was pure quality as he silkily finished D'Sane's byline pull-back.

By rights it should have been Bash who had poked their noses in front but, having been played in by Sales's clever flick-on, 18-year-old Gillespie scampered clear only to hit a tame 54th-minute shot straight at 'keeper Nikki Bull.

Town's second goal inspired them and McLean would have had a hat-trick but for Hookway's brave double save in the 80th minute and Gary Connolly's goalline clearance in stoppage-time.

In between, battling Bash had pressed hard for an equaliser with both Gillespie and Connolly steering decent opportunities wide.

West End lad Craig Davis, who captained the Foresters in the absence of suspended midfielder Darren Robson, said: "It was brilliant, a great experience. Aldershot started the second half well, but we were getting back into it when they got their winner and that was a blow to us all.

"Mike Hookway was great. He's a really confident lad and was laughing and joking like he'd been here all season, yet we'd hardly seen him. He played last Saturday and trained on Tuesday."

Bashley may be tucked away in a quiet corner of the New Forest, but they provided a quarter of a sporting 4,092 crowd and boss Blank-ley said: "I'd like to say thanks to Bash fans and all the neutrals who gave us a cheer."

The night's star guest was Saints striker James Beattie, who presented Andover's 14-goal HSC hot-shot Justin Bennett with the top scorer's trophy.