An Altrincham side with nine players out injured, a tenth suspended and an eleventh (Howe) ineligible against his employers, were denied a point at Scunthorpe by an added-time goal.

In doing so, Altrincham recorded their twentieth defeat of the league season, a total only surpassed by Gateshead and Truro City, the two bottom clubs in the Enterprise National League.

Having survived a clearance off their own line by Josh Grant, Altrincham took a first-half lead against the run of play when a smart move up the left saw Eddy Jones and Tom Crawford feed the advancing Sam Reed. His low cross was slotted deftly through the home keeper's legs, in the centre of the goalmouth, by Lucas Weaver (40 mins).

The Robins then started the second half as the better team but had four times failed to convert good chances to double their lead before the hosts equalised, again against the run of play just as Alty had scored in the first half.

First of the wasted chances was when Weaver produced a wild shot, miles off target (44 mins) before an impressive move culminated in Isaac Marriott getting a clear header all wrong from about 12 yards out early in the second half (49 mins).

Reed and Knowles both had shots saved before Weaver again blazed over the bar (54 mins) and, around the hour mark, an excellent move ended in a weak shot by Liam Humbles.

The hosts, who had won just one of their previous eight league games made a double change and, coincidentally rather then as a consequence, they equalised just a minute later.

This goal came out of nothing as Starbuck fired home from just outside the box (64 mins). However, the equaliser animated the Iron and they dominated the next few minutes.

But Altrincham looked to have ridden out the storm and secured a point until the second of four added minutes when Beestin was allowed to advance and fire past Hutchinson from the edge of the box.

Beestin had likewise put Scunthorpe 2-1 up in the reverse fixture but, this time, there was to be no Altrincham comeback.

Defeat left Altrincham sixteenth in the table.

SCORERS:

• 40 mins: Lucas WEAVER (Scunthorpe United 0 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 64 mins: Joe STARBUCK (Scunthorpe United 1 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 90(+2) mins: Alfie BEESTIN (Scunthorpe United 2 ALTRINCHAM 1)

REFEREE: Mr Simon Mather

ATTENDANCE: 5,042 (129 in away section)

TEAM NEWS:

The injured list today comprised Ross, Banks, Sass-Davies, Breckin, Khan, Olson, Kosylo, Crankshaw and Forde. In addition, Sassi remained suspended and Howe was ineligible against his employers, meaning eleven players were unavailable. As a consequnce just six substitutes could be named, including Kian Mattison and Joel Bailey who have yet to play in a National League match.

On the positive side, Golden had completed his suspension and started as Alty made three changes to the starting eleven, with Reed, Weaver and Golden replacing Forde, Howe and Reddin.

For Scunthorpe, Denton, Hurst and Farrell replaced Roberts, Ewing and Smith.

LINE-UP:

SCUNTHORPE UNITED (Crimson and sky blue ) 12. Louis Jones, 3. Branden Horton, 6. Andrew Boyce, 9. Danny Whitehall, 11. Joe Rowley, 15. Zain Tahir, 21. Joe Starbuck, 23. Kyle Hurst, 25. Zain Westbrooke, 30. Leo Farrell, 33. Tyler Denton. Subs: 44. Ross Barrows, 14. Pat Jones, 8. Alfie Beestin, 4. Jean Belehouan, 17. Oli Ewing, 32. Connor Smith, 38. Rory Mahady.

ALTRINCHAM (Black shirts with yellow diagonals, yellow shorts and black socks): 30. Luke Hutchinson, 23. Tylor Golden, 3. Sam Reed, 5. Jake Cooper, 6. Josh Grant, 33. Eddy Jones, 22. Tom Crawford (c), 28. Liam Humbles, 8. Isaac Marriott, 11. Jimmy Knowles, 17. Lucas Weaver. Subs: 24. Sam Barnes, 20. Kahrel Reddin, 25. Joel Bailey, 27. Louie Fallon (gk), 32. Kian Mattison, 40. Charlie Kirk

BACKGROUND:

With four wins in their last five outings and two successive clean sheets, Altrincham's form had greatly improved recently and they started this game lying 16th, after the 3pm kick-off results, whilst the Iron were lying sixth despite a surprising defeat in midweek at home to Sutton United.

In fact, Scunthorpe had won just one of their previous eight league games.

Kick-off had been delayed to 5.30pm to meet the requirements of the DAZN streaming service.

The pitch was in poor condition, badly worn and uneven.

REPORT:

The game started with the hosts on the front foot and a miskick ceded an early corner to the Iron (2 mins). Another corner arrived four minutes later and this was an even worse corner-kick than the first one, the ball going low as it flew behind the goal at the near post.

Horton now picked up an early booking for a pull on Humbles, who was to have a lively first half in the Altrincham midfield.

A slice by Starbuck then gifted Altrincham their first corner, on their left, taken by Jones (9 mins). A nod down at the back post presented Weaver with a chance but his effort cleared the bar, a trend to be continued during the game.

Altrincham then narrowly survived at the other end when Grant had to clear a Whitehall effort off the line (11 mins) and this was soon followed by a home corner won by Starbuck, which was nodded into the hands of Hutchinson, whose last visit to the stadium had been when keeping goal for Marine last season (11 mins).

However, Alty were now improving as Weaver won a freekick before Knowles got in a shot but he was ruled offside (14 mins).

Humbles continued to impress before Scunthorpe got in a long-range shot from Rowley which flew narrowly wide (20 mins). Two home corners soon followed, won by Tahir and then Hurst (24 mins).

Alty remained under pressure when Golden's miskick conceded another corner (27 mins).

A stoppage was soon required for treatment to Marriott (33 mins) before the midfielder resumed.

Then, after a few better minutes, Altrincham constructed an excellent move on the left as Jones and Crawford set Reed advancing towards the bye-line. Reed got in a low cross which the unmarked Weaver guided smartly through the legs of the keeper to give Altrincham a 1-0 lead, against the overall flow of the game to this point (40 mins).

Soon afterwards Reed was felled by Starbuck. This allowed Jones to put in an excellent freekick which skimmed off the head of Crawford in the goalmouth (44 mins).

Altrincham continued on the front foot as Weaver got in a shot from the right but, again, he hit the ball wildly over the bar (44 mins).

Three added minutes left Altrincham's lead intact at the interval.

Scunthorpe made a change at half-time as recent signing from Chester, Pat Jones came on for Hurst. But it was Altrincham who should have doubled their lead in the 49th minute when Golden's cross from the right presented Marriott with a clear headed chance from a central position but the midfielder got under the ball and his effort cleared the bar.

Next, Cooper found himself booked for holding Farrell, the defender's seventh booking in just 18(+2) appearances this season. Hutchinson then fielded a Boyce effort from Starbuck's long throw (51 mins).

A mesmerising dribble upfield by Humbles ended with a Reed shot which was comfortably saved by Jones. Alty remained on the front foot when Knowles got in a shot which was saved (53 mins).

But Alty's profligacy in front of goal was failing to convert their second-half ascendancy into a goal as, once more, Weaver blazed a shot well over the bar. After this, Knowles was clearly held as he advanced but got no change out of referee Mather (55 mins).

The chances and the misses just kept coming for Altrincham as next a good move ended with a weak shot from Humbles from an opening, right of centre. An Alty corner soon followed before a double change came for the Iron.

On came Ewing and Beestin for Denton and Whitehall (63 mins).

Just as in the first half when the Iron were on top but Altrincham scored, now the roles were reversed and, out of nothing, Scunthorpe equalised. No one closed down Starbuck before the defensive player hit a well-struck shot past Hutchinson from just outside the box (64 mins).

The goal immediately lifted the home side and now Horton hit a 35 yarder which deflected out for a corner, from which a Farrell effort was also deflected, the ball going just wide, as Alty found themsleves on the back foot (66 mins).

Neil Gibson responded by bringing on Reddin for Reed (69 mins). But the hosts retained the forward momentum as Starbuck forced a save from Hutchinson before three home corners arrived in as many minutes (75 mins).

Marriott, who was carrying a knock from the first half, was now subbed in favour of Barnes (81 mins).

Alty then gained a bit of respite from the home pressure whilst the Iron also made a change with Tahir giving way to former Alty man Barrows (85 mins).

Another change soon arrived as Farrell was supplanted by Connor Smith (88 mins) and the new man soon hit a wild shot off target (89 mins).

Four added minutes were proclaimed but disaster struck in the second of these when, once again, Alty failed to close down a long-range shot, this time from Besstin. His shot flashed into the net to snatch the three points for Scunthorpe.

Beestin had likewise put his side 2-1 ahead in the reverse fixture at Moss Lane only for Altrincham to hit three improbable goals to win 4-2. This time there was no such fairytale as Altrincham's lamentable away record continued and they ended the evening in sixteenth place.