MATCH REPORT: Altrincham 1-0 Wealdstone

Wasteful Wealdstone only have themselves to blame after slipping to a 1-0 Enterprise National League defeat at strugglers Altrincham - bringing to an end a run of just one win in the last 10 league games for the hosts.

Jimmy Knowles' scuffed effort on 35 minutes proved the difference between the sides, but Stones will look back on a long list of final-third entries and largely off-target goal attempts.

And, outside of their control, time seemed to stand still right near the end of an additional eight minutes, with everyone inside a rainy J. Davidson Stadium waiting for referee Callum Jones to point to the penalty spot for a push on the marauding Connor McAvoy. But instead, he awarded the scant consolation of a corner.

Wealdstone, though, were left to lick their wounds and reflect on the last two games which could - and arguably should - have yielded far more than just a solitary point. Tonight especially, there was plenty of good passing interchanges but little in the way of meaningful end-product.

Manager Sam Cox made three changes from the side which was denied a win late on at Eastleigh. Deon Woodman came back in as captain, while there were also starts for Sak Hassan and Shay Spencer. The replaced Anthony Georgiou was named on the bench while the other pair to make way - Enzio Boldewijn and Omar Mussa - didn't make the trip north.

Ex-Wealdstone boss Neil Gibson - at the The Vale helm for the club's 'great escape' of last season - made two alterations to his. Forward Declan Howe and ex-Stone Josh Grant - who played in central defence - the players to come in.

The Stones could lay claim to all of the game's good chances up to the half-hour mark. Sak Hassan had arguably the best two; opting to shoot first-time in the ninth minute when maybe he could have taken a touch, then on 25 minutes seeing his stinging shot saved after great chasing down from Micah Obiero fashioned the opening.

But it was Alty who took the lead in the 35th minute when forward Knowles had sufficient room to stroke home from eight yards.

Moments before, the lively Hassan had been robbed of possession by Matty Kosylo who fed Howe but his on-target effort was bravely blocked by Wealdstone skipper Woodman.

It was the Stones' first real mistake to that point, but then play didn't leave the half before the ball was swung into the box. After a defensive header went more up than away, the ball fell kindly for Knowles whose far-from-clean strike bounced awkwardly to deceive visitor's keeper Dante Baptiste as it bobbled tamely into the net.

Confidence visibly grew among the home players, and they went on to dominate the closing stages of the first 45; Wealdstone grateful once again for another fully-committed Woodman block.

Altrincham flew out of the traps for the start of the second half, but a collision between opposing No. 22s McAvoy and Robins' captain Tom Crawford left the latter stricken for several minutes and sucked the life from the host's intent.

The ebb & flow of the next 20 minutes certainly favoured Cox's men, but they were exclusively limited to goal attempts from 18 yards out and further - and a series of potshots were, in the main, well wide of the mark.

Saturday's brace-bagger Nathan Tshikuna enjoyed the majority of the openings for Stones. But between him, Hassan, and Shay Spencer, no one could threaten Alty's goal.

It took Gibson's side until the 79th minute to register a post-interval on-target effort; this one a blistering 30-yarder from Kosylo which stung the palms of Baptiste - who reacted quickly to pat the rebound away from the head of Howe.

And Baptiste was beating the ball away again four minutes later, this time much nearer to goal as Eddy Jones was denied from 15 yards.

Stones came close to a leveller with a batch of late efforts. First was from a Tshikuna free-kick, almost identically placed to the one he scored from at the Silverlake on Saturday. This time, though, the effort fizzed fractionally wide of an upright with the 88-th minute strike.

A determined McAvoy run and one-two saw his 18-yard shot deflect wide, then two minutes into injury-time sub Sean Adarkwa - positioned eight yards out level with the near post - couldn't wrap his foot around Dom Hutchinson's heavily-hit low cross.

Then came the late claim for a penalty; initially for the push on McAvoy and then seemingly for another offence - perhaps handball...it was tough to decipher with any clarity.

Stones will now need to put this disappointment behind them quick-sharp as they prepare for this weekend's visit of high-flyers York City to The Vale.

LINE-UPS:

Stones: Baptiste; McAvoy, Woodman (c), Waller (Georgiou 73); Hutchinson, Spencer, Kadji (Agyemang 84), Tshikuna, Hassan (Adu-Poku 77); Olomola (Dixon-Bonner 73); Obiero (Adarkwa 84).

Subs not used: Johnson (GK), Tiensia.

Yellow Cards: none.

Robins: Hutchinson; Kosylo, Sassi, Grant (Cooper 70), Golden; Marriott, Jones; Reddin (Weaver), Crawford, Howe; Knowles (Forde 71).

Subs not used: Fallon (GK), Bailey, Olson, Kirk.

Yellow Cards: Crawford, Reddin.

Att: 1,104 (including 45 Stones' fans)