Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 1 Aldershot 2

The way fine margins can so often decide football issues was never more evident than at The J.Davidson Stadium this afternoon as Altrincham missed out on reclaiming their place in the Vanarama National League play-off places.

Alex Newby had hauled the Robins back on to level terms in stunning style and thought he had won it in the 88th minute with a low drive that looked bound for the bottom right corner until Aldershot keeper Marcus Dewhurst flung out an arm to divert it to safety.

Seconds later, substitute Max Mullins picked the ball up on the left of the Alty area and floated it towards the far post. Whether it was meant as a cross or shot is anyone's guess, but that moot point hardly mattered.

What did matter was the ball ended up dropping into the far corner of Alty's net and the points were accompanying Aldershot on their long journey back to Hampshire.

Tough to take for Alty, who had played a full part in a game that sprang to life midway through the first half after a listless opening but have now suffered three straight defeats and need a positive response when Wealdstone visit us on Tuesday night.

Problems with the pitch cutting up were all too apparent, and, while it was the same for both sides, it was proving particularly disruptive to Alty's preference for playing out from the back with patience and precision.

Finally, in the 26th minute, the Robins made light of the bobbly surface and provided a glimpse of their true attacking worth that so nearly led to an opening goal.

Kacper Pasiek won the ball on the left and slipped it inside to Newby, who weaved his way across the edge of the area to open up space for a shot. The connection could not have been better, but Dewhurst took off to his right to fingertip the ball behind for a corner,

It was an outstanding save, and it had to be to keep out such a firmly struck and well directed effort by the Alty forward.

It took a goal-saving block by Elliot Osborne to deny Aldershot in the 32nd minute, while Rob Lainton had to be alert to get an outstretched hand to a drive by Tyler Frost a minute later as the visitors began to press for a way through.

Great hold-up play by Jake Bickerstaff almost contributed to a breakthrough for the Robins in the 38th minute.

Shielding the ball expertly, with his back to goal just outside the area, Bickerstaff delayed releasing it until spotting Pasiek in space further over to the left.

The pass to Pasiek was perfect, but unfortunately for Alty, the on-loan left-back blazed the chance over.

Alty were literally centimetres away from a half-time lead in the 44th minute after Bickerstaff set up Justin Amaluzor, who found himself one-on-one with Dewhurst and looked to have won the battle of wits with a clever dink over the keeper, only for Will Armitage to dash back and hack the ball clear as it was about to cross the line.

There was more frustration for Alty in the 65th minute when Bickerstaff again held the ball up and rolled it to Osborne for a shot that looked to be on its way in until cannoning into a defender.

Seconds later, Alty found themselves behind after Lainton made a fine save but could do nothing about Cameron Hargreaves pouncing on the loose ball and ramming it home from close range.

To their credit, there was no sign of Alty heads dropping, and they were back on terms with a superb goal in the 73rd minute.

Osborne set it up with a typically pinpoint ball that picked out Newby in space on the left. The rest was all about Newby's ability to work space for a shot and finish with aplomb.

A feint one way and burst of acceleration the other was enough to wrong-foot his marker, and the left-foot drive from the tightest of angles was simply unstoppable as it flew into the roof of the net.

All-square, Alty had the scent of a winner in their nostrils and went so close to one in the 87th minute when Bickerstaff brilliantly sidestepped a challenge in the area and laid the ball off to substitute George Wilson, who fired into the side netting.

A minute later, Dewhurst excelled once more to deny Newby, whose low raking shot was heading for the corner until an outstretched hand parried it away from its target.

Unbelievably, when a winner did ultimately materialise, it went the way of the Shots, with Mullins' speculative shot-cum-cross looping beyond the reach of Lainton and nestling in the far corner of the net.

There was no way back for an Alty side who must now hope they can make home advantage count in what is going to be a crucial next couple of weeks.

Altrincham Lainton; Banks, Cooper, Osborne (c), Marriott (Wilson, 69'), Newby, Amaluzor (Weaver, 69'), Reddin (Crawford, 61'), Bickerstaff, Olson (Baines, 61'), Pasiek. Subs not used: Kosylo, Griffiths, Ansen.

Aldershot Dewhurst; Hargreaves, Frost, Barrett (Bray, 90'), R.Jones (Henry, 84'), Anderson (Maja, 84'), A.Jones (c), Barham (Mullins, 74'), Woodhouse, Ellison, Armitage. Subs not used: van Stappershoef, Jenkins, Corbett.

HT 0-0

Goals Newby 73' | Hargreaves 65', Mullins 88'

Yellows Reddin 29', Marriott 47' | Ellison 52', Barrett 69', Mullins 90'+2

Reds None | None

Referee Richard Aspinall

Assistant Matthew Parry & Kenwyn Hughes

Fourth official Declan Brown

Attendance 2,015 (229 away)

Next Up

Wealdstone are our visitors on Tuesday evening for a rearranged clash in the Vanarama National League (7:45pm).

Tickets are on sale here for that game, as well Non-League Day against Barnet next Saturday (5:30pm).