Aldershot Town drew 2-2 against Fulham’s under-21s in their opening National League Cup group stage game before losing the resulting penalty shoot-out 4-2.

Marcus Wyllie and Hakeem Sandah were on target for the Shots, but goals from Jayden Quashie and Nazim Benchaita meant the tie went to penalties in front of a crowd of 445 at the EBB Stadium.

The Shots got off to the worst possible start as they fell behind in the opening minute when Quashie drilled his right-footed finish from the edge of the box into the left-hand corner of the net.

Aldershot nearly got back on level terms on seven minutes when Kwaku Frimpong won a 50/50 on the edge of the box and slipped the ball to Wyllie, who took a touch before firing his effort just wide.

The Cottagers almost doubled their advantage in the tenth minute when Dan Casey’s free-kick from just outside the box rattled the left-hand post.

The Shots created a good chance on 18 minutes when Brody Peart burst down the left before whipping in a teasing cross to Wyllie, whose header went just wide of the far post.

Aldershot went close again three minutes later when Elijah Oladunjoye's long throw found Jack Matton, whose header was held by Fulham keeper Alex Borto.

The Shots had another good opportunity in the 24th minute when Peart's inviting ball over the top found Wyllie, who advanced before drilling his powerful right-footed shot just over the bar.

Fulham nearly doubled their advantage on 28 minutes when Jose Sani’s close-range header forced a smart save from Shots keeper Nick Hayes.

Aldershot were soon back on the front foot and went close on the half-hour mark when Wyllie slipped the ball to Conor Lawless, who cut inside from the right before firing his left-footed effort just over the bar.

The Shots got the leveller their display deserved in the 36th minute. Oladunjoye's long throw found Matton, whose header was punched away by Borto to Conor Lawless, who took a touch inside before hitting a low shot goalwards which Wyllie cleverly flicked home from close range.

Aldershot almost went ahead two minutes later when Jacob Borgnis hit a curling shot from the edge of the box which was well saved by Borto.

The Cottagers regained the lead on 40 minutes when Macaulay Zepa found Benchaita, who fired his finish into the roof of the net from a tight angle from the right-hand side of the box.

The Shots had a chance to equalise again in first-half stoppage time when Basil Tuma fed Wyllie in the box, but Wyllie’s right-footed effort from a tight angle went wide.

Aldershot boss Scott Davies made five substitutions at half-time, with Charlie Patmore, Michael Stickland, Tristan Abrahams, Nino Adom-Malaki and Sandah replacing Hayes, Michee Efete, Borgnis, Kiki Oshilaja and Tuma.

The Shots created the first chance of the second half in the 50th minute when Frimpong slipped in Adom-Malaki down the left and Adom-Malaki clipped in an inviting cross to Lawless, whose header was parried away by Borto from close range.

Aldershot went close again on 58 minutes when Sandah and Abrahams linked up on the left-hand side of the box and Abrahams drilled the ball across goal, but the visitors managed to scramble the ball away to safety.

Fulham almost went 3-1 up three minutes later when Sani's low right-footed shot across goal was superbly blocked by Shots keeper Patmore from point-blank range.

The Shots got back on level terms for a second time in the 65th minute when Sandah received the ball on the left-hand side of the box and showed quick feet before drilling his low left-footed shot across goal into the far corner.

Aldershot nearly went ahead on 74 minutes when Peart drove into the box and cut inside from the left before hitting a low right-footed shot which was well held by Borto.

The Cottagers had a late opportunity in the 89th minute when Sani drilled his right-foot shot from the edge of the box just wide.

Neither side were able to score a late winner as the tie went to penalties.

Sani was first up for the Cottagers in the shoot-out and saw his spot kick parried away by Patmore. Abrahams then stepped up for Aldershot and smashed his left-footed effort against the crossbar.

Casey took Fulham’s second penalty and sent Patmore the wrong way. Peart was next up for the Shots and confidently smashed his penalty into the top left-hand corner.

Bradley Slade was up next for the Cottagers and sent Patmore the wrong way. Wyllie took Aldershot’s third penalty and picked out the left-hand corner.

Tom Olyott took Fulham’s fourth penalty and found the bottom left-hand corner. Lawless was next up for the Shots and saw his low effort parried away by Borto.

Khai Vally had the chance to win the shoot-out for Fulham, and did so when he found the top right-hand corner.

Aldershot Town: Nick Hayes (Charlie Patmore 46), Michee Efete (Michael Stickland 46), Jack Matton, Kiki Oshilaja (Nino Adom-Malaki 46), Elijah Oladunjoye, Kwaku Frimpong, Jacob Borgnis (Tristan Abrahams 46), Conor Lawless, Basil Tuma (Hakeem Sandah 46), Marcus Wyllie, Brody Peart.

Fulham under-21s: Alex Borto, Nazim Benchaita, Logan Cooke, Archie Taylor, Bradley Slade, Chibby Nwoko, Seth Chingwaro (Tom Olyott 73), Macaulay Zepa (Khai Vally 82), Jayden Quashie (Lewis Konadu-Wall 82), Dan Casey, Jose Sani.

Unused substitutes: Marco Underwood, Maddox Zaidan-Jones, Aidan Evans, Markuss Gomins.

Attendance: 445.

Referee: Matthew Scholes.