Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Hartlepool 1 Altrincham 0

Altrincham were undone by a controversial late penalty after doing more than enough to come away with a point at Victoria Park this afternoon.

The Robins matched their 10th-placed opponents for much of an evenly-contested 90 minutes but fell behind when the referee deemed a foul had been committed in a congested Alty six-yard box less than 10 minutes from the end.

The spot-kick was despatched unerringly by Alex Reid, and Alty knew their luck was out when substitute Lucas Weaver steered a close-range chance over deep into stoppage time.

There was a place in the squad for all four of Alty's new signings, Otis Khan and Anthony Forde in the starting line-up and Josh Grant and Liam Humbles among the substitutes.

An early tendency to surrender possession dangerously close to their own area was a cause for concern for the Robins, and they were almost punished when Nathan Sheron pounced on one such indiscretion in the fourth minute and fired narrowly wide.

Alty also had to contend with some uncompromising challenges in the opening stages, with Charlie Kirk and Olly Crankshaw on the receiving end of fouls that left them on the floor in obvious discomfort.

It didn't stop Alty finding their feet and settling into a rhythm that led to one or two promising openings as the first half progressed. Dan Sassi saw a looping header just clear the bar from a right-flank free-kick, and Alty might have taken the lead in the 19th minute, when keeper Nick Hayes spilled a Tom Crawford effort into the path of James Gale, who couldn't quite apply the finishing touch.

Alty set-pieces were causing problems for Hartlepool, and when the visitors failed to deal effectively with another right-wing delivery, Charlie Kirk steered a first-time volley inches wide of the left-hand post.

Two minutes from half-time, Alty again went close to going in front, as more slick approach play led to Kirk curling a shot agonisingly wide of the far post, with Hayes diving in vain in an attempt to get a touch to it.

The Robins threatened again a minute later, as Crankshaw weaved one way then another on the right of the area before drilling a low angled shot that Hayes blocked at the near post.

Hartlepool were quicker out of the traps at the start of the second half and almost went ahead in the 48th minute when a deflected shot from Luke Charman bobbled wide of the far post, with Luke Hutchinson wrong-footed by the change of direction.

When Alty lost possession at a throw-in inside their own half, it gave Reid the chance to power forward and test Hutchinson from the edge of the area. Fortunately, the Alty keeper was up to the challenge, sprawling to his left to turn the low drive away from danger.

It was a tricky opening quarter-of-an-hour of the second half for Alty, with Hartlepool exerting real pressure and prompting the Robins to make their first change, as Matty Kosylo replaced Kirk in the 60th minute.

Not only did Alty survive it, they went up the other end and so nearly fashioned a breakthrough in the 64th minute. A superb pass out to the left found Crankshaw in space, and after cutting inside, he let fly with a low shot that Hayes was unable to hold on to. Unfortunately for Alty, there was no-one on hand to seize on the loose ball, and it was scrambled to safety.

Hartlepool made a couple of changes in the 73rd minute that were matched a minute later by Alty sending on Isaac Marriott and Grant for Khan and Forde.

Alty continued to probe for openings, but it was Hartlepol who went closest so far to breaking the deadlock in the 78th minute when substitute Matty Daly clipped the bar with a close-range header.

When a goal finally materialised, it came as a hammerblow to the Robins, as the home side were awarded the most contentious of penalties.

The ball was whipped in from the right towards a crowded six-yard area in the 81st minute, flashing past a tangle of legs and away beyond the far post to safety. It appeared Alty had got away with what looked a moment of real danger, but referee Aaron Jackson seemingly adjudged that Sassi had committed a foul and pointed to the spot.

It took fully two minutes for the protests to subside, and when they did, Reid stepped up to plant the penalty into the left corner.

It proved decisive, though there was still time, in the 93rd minute, for substitute Lucas Weaver to fire over from close range after being picked out by Kosylo's cutback from the bye-line.

Hartlepool Hayes; Benn, Parkes (c), Kouogun, McNally, Campbell (Folarin, 73'), Charman, Sheron, Hunter (Daly, 73'), Miley, Reid. Subs not used: Smith, Ferguson, Johnson, Brown, Aungiers.

Altrincham Hutchinson; Cooper, Crankshaw, Gale (Weaver, 88'), Khan (Marriott, 75') Crawford (c), Golden (Humbles, 88'), Forde (Grant, 75'), Jones, Sassi, Kirk (Kosylo, 59'). Subs not used: Knowles, Fallon.

HT 0-0

Goals Reid 83' | None

Yellows Sheron 5', Charman 52', McNally 61', Hayes 90'+3 | Kirk 11', Crankshaw 45'+1, Jones 57', Crawford 67', Sassi 82', Hutchinson 82'

Reds None | None

Referee Aaron Jackson

Assistants Stephen Wade & Conor Ledgeway

Fourth Official Richard Holmes

Attendance 5,3,41 (152 Away)

Next Up

On the road again on Wednesday evening - it's Forest Green Rovers in the Enterprise National League at The New Lawn (7:45pm).

Full ticket details for Alty fans can be found here.