Words John Edwards | Pictures Jonathan Moore

Altrincham 3 Gateshead 1

It may not have been the season everyone hoped it would be, but what better way to bring the curtain down than with a win that was sealed with literally the last kick of the entire campaign?

That's how Altrincham signed off for 2025-26 on a sun-baked Saturday afternoon at The J.Davidson Stadium as they made sure of the points in the most dramatic style possible.

Leading through a Lucas Weaver brace but having to defend late on after Gateshead halved the arrears at the end of the first half, repelling a last-gasp corner in a congested area that included the visiting keeper was surely the sole objective.

Mission accomplished, the final whistle would undoubtedly follow, except the ball was suddenly at the feet of Liam Humbles, deep inside his own half but with no-one between himself and the Gateshead goal.

The referee had kept play going beyond the allotted time to allow the corner to be taken; presumably he was duty-bound to extend it for a few more seconds, as Humbles accelerated over the halfway line with Gateshead keeper Shea Connor in hot pursuit.

A desperate lunge by Connor in the centre circle failed to make contact, and left the youngster with what looked a potentially serious knee injury, as Humbles continued on his way to complete a lung-bursting run with a simple finish into an empty net.

There wasn't even time for a restart, as the final whistle sounded amid scenes of Alty elation in the Gateshead area and the more sobering sight of Connor being helped off in distress.

Alty were off to a flyer with an opening goal in only the fifth minute, albeit with a helping hand from Connor, who spilled a Matty Kosylo cross at the feet of Weaver.

To be fair to the young Gateshead number one, the ball was dipping close to the turf when he attempted to lay hands on it, but he needed no telling it should have been held comfortably enough.

It was a gift Weaver was never likely to pass up, and the Alty forward calmly despatched it into the net from near the penalty spot.

Charlie Kirk threatened twice in quick succession soon after, and Alty again nearly doubled their advantage in the 13th minute when Weaver held off a challenge on the left and curled a right-foot shot narrowly wide of the far post.

The lead was duly extended in the 20th minute, and it was Weaver who again applied the decisive finish.

Kirk attempted to burrow his way in from the left, and when he was crowded out, Weaver took up possession and sidestepped a challenge before drilling a firm shot into the bottom left corner of Gateshead's net.

The Robins were in complete control in glorious, summer-like conditions, and another attacking foray almost paid dividends in the 25th minute.

Kahrel Reddin, looking lively on the right flank, darted inside his marker and clipped a left-foot shot that beat the keeper's despairing dive but flashed wide of the post.

It took Gateshead the best part of half-an-hour to mount a meaningful attack, but when they did, they weren't far away from reducing the arrears, as Ethan Moore fired an angled drive inches wide in the 29th minute.

As Alty continued to press for a third goal, Kirk became the latest to so nearly deliver it.

Using an Otis Khan run on his left as a decoy, he took aim with an effort that arced towards the far angle of bar and post but didn't quite curve enough to give the Robins the sort of lead that would have made the second half a formality.

As it was, the second 45 minutes was anything but straightforward after Gateshead halved the deficit with virtually the last kick of the opening half.

A low centre from the left somehow found its way across the Alty area to an unmarked Moore, who could hardly miss from close range.

A spell of exerted pressure early in the second half ended with the industrious Isaac Marriott blazing over from outside the area as Alty looked to restore their two-goal cushion.

A hat-trick was in the offing for Weaver, and he would have been walking off with the match ball but for failing by the narrowest of margins to make contact with an enticing low cross from Reddin in the 63rd minute.

If the second half had been largely uneventful, it certainly ended in dramatic style.

First Tylor Golden produced a moment of magic in the 85th minute, turning one way then another in the tightest of spots to completely bamboozle two close markers and create space for a shot that was heading for the top corner until an airborne Connor tipped it away at full stretch.

Then, with the very last kick of the entire season, substitute Humbles made it 3-1, running the length of the pitch to score in an empty net after the Gateshead keeper went up for a corner that was cleared by a rock-solid Alty defence.

Beeline VIP Travel Man Of The Match Matty Kosylo

Altrincham Hutchinson (Fallon, 89'); Cooper, Marriott, Khan, Kosylo (Banks, 83'), Weaver (Knowles, 68'), Reddin (Humbles, 83'), Crawford (c), Golden, Sassi, Kirk (Jones, 82'). Subs not used: Sass-Davies, Bailey.

Gateshead Connor; Ferguson (c), Butterfield, Amantchi (Telford, 68'), Beck (Boatswain, 79'), Chadwick (Lish, 79'), Anifowose (Chapman, 68'), Moore, Storey, Williams, Gettins (Grayson, 67'). Subs not used: Leech.

HT 2-1

Goals Weaver 5', 20', Humbles 90'+5 | Moore 45'+2

Yellows None | None

Reds None | None

Referee Scott Jackson

Assistants Zharir Mustafa & Mark Bates

Fourth official Brandon Scaife

Attendance 2,118 (219 away)