Altrincham failed to put distance between themselves and the bottom four with this disappointing home draw against the 23rd placed Shrimps, who have now deprived Alty of five points this season.

After a goalless first half in which Alty had more of the forward momentum, the visitors took a 48th minute lead. A foul by centre-back Grant gave Morecambe a freekick 25 yards out which Nolan hit superbly into the top corner to Hutchinson's left, the ball going in to the net off the inside of the upright.

Alty responded eight minutes later when Crankshaw received Knowles's pass before making space and scoring off the inside of the post.

Although the hosts enjoyed plenty of the ball, too often their moves were ponderous and lacking in bite.

SCORERS:

• 48 mins: Jack NOLAN (ALTRINCHAM 0 Morecambe 1)
• 56 mins: Olly CRANKSHAW (ALTRINCHAM 1 Morecambe 1)

REFEREE: Mr Michael Barlow

ATTENDANCE: 2,088 (484 in away section)

TEAM NEWS:

Altrincham had made two signings in the run up to this game as Charlie Olson and Kian Breckin joined the club. Both were named on the bench for this match.

With midfielders Khan and Humbles missing through injury, Neil Gibson made two further changes as Cooper and Jones droppped to the bench. Into the eleven came Grant, Forde, Golden and Reddin.

There was again no place for club captain Baines as well as the long-term injured Ross, Reed, Banks, Sass-Davies and Barnes, though the last named was involved in the warm-up.

For Morecambe, Francillete replaced Conte, Williams came in for Tollitt and Songo'o came in for Fogerty and was named captain.

LINE-UP:

ALTRINCHAM (Red shirts with white pinstripes, black shorts and white socks): 30. Luke Hutchinson, 14. Matty Kosylo, 34. Dan Sassi, 6. Josh Grant, 23. Tylor Golden, 8. Isaac Marriott, 26. Anthony Forde, 22. Tom Crawford (c), 7. Olly Crankshaw, 20. Kahrel Reddin, 11. Jimmy Knowles. Subs: 5. Jake Cooper, 12. Kian Breckin, 17. Lucas Weaver, 27. Louie Fallon (gk), 31. Eddy Jones, 33. Eddy Jones, 40. Charlie Kirk

MORECAMBE (Fawn shirts, black shorts and socks) 40 Jamal Blackman, 2 Lewis Payne, 5. Harlee Dean, 6. Ludwig Francillete, 7 Gwion Edwards, 8 Miguel Azeez, 15. Ben Williams, 17 Paul Lewis, 24. Yann Songo'o (c) 36 Jack Nolan, 42 Christopher Popov. Subs: 41 Myles Boney, 19 Ma'kel Bogle-Campbell, 18 Ben Tollitt, 21 Joe Nuttall, 24 Yann Songo'o, 29 Ashton McWilliams, 32 George Thomas, 33 Timothy Akindileni.

BACKGROUND:

Morecambe had sacked Ashvir Singh Johal and appointed Jim Bentley as their new manager two days before this match. They started the game lying 23rd with Altrincham 18th, with nine more points than The Shrimps.

REPORT:

Morecambe kicked off and within twenty seconds a cross from their left found a team-mate who forced a block by goalkeeper Hutchinson.

However, a lay-off by Reddin soon allowed Golden a shot which won his side a corner (4 mins).

But Morecambe were quickly getting forward again themselves with Nolan and Azeez combining to win the first of two corners in short order for the visitors.

End to end play continued as Kosylo fed Knowles whose shot from right of goal was blocked by keeper Blackman at his near post, albeit conceding a corner (18 mins).

It was the hosts who were beginning to get the upper hand as Crawford played in an excellent cross from the left but Knowles, in the penalty area, could only head straight at the keeper (24 mins).

Alty continued to get forward and, next, Knowles fed Crankshaw but he steered his effort over the bar (29 mins).

However, Reddin then gave the ball away to Popov who won his side the first of two successive corners, the second coming from a Hutchinson save (32 mins).

Alty's keeper was again called into action to save from Azeez (38 mins). A Morecambe freekick soon followed as Alty struggled to make their home advantage tell (42 mins).

However, the Robins created but spurned an excellent chance to take the lead in the one minute of added time.

Having won a corner himself, Reddin headed the flag-kick over the bar when he should have hit the target.

As in the first half, Morecambe threatened very early in the second period. Popov was advancing towards the box when he went down under a challenge from Grant. A freekick was awarded and Grant was booked.

From somde25 yards, a little right of centre, Nolan hit the freekick impressively into the top corner beyond Hutchinson's dive to his left, the ball going in just inside the upright (48 mins).

Alty went to the other end as Kosylo set Knowles advancing toawards the right bye-line. His ball inside fpund Crankshaw who deftly made space before firing past Blackamn to score off the back post and make it 1-1 (56 mins).

Soon afterwards, Forde fed Kosylo whose volley from 20 yards flew narrowly wide (59 mins).

However, Morecambe replied with a corner after which Knowles advanced up the left but his cross-cum-shot went to the keeper (62 mins).

Altrincham then made a double swap with Cooper replacing Grant at centre-back and Eddy Jones coming on for Forde (63 mins). Kosylo moved to midfield as Golden switched to right-back.

Cooper's first act was a misjudged pass into touch and, shortly afterwards, Alty survived a goal-line clearance after Hutchinson had fumbled a save.

After some play-acting by Popov had earned him derisive shouts from the home crowd, the visitors made a double change. Tollitt replaced Edwards and McWilliams came on for Williams (71 mins).

The changes continued to break up play after a Kosylo shot had earned his side a corner (73 mins). On came two Alty wingers, Kirk and Weaver, to replace Knowles (74 mins) and Crankshaw (75 mins).

The Alty corner cane and went before Weaver fired disappointingly at Blackman (77 mins).

Thomas then replaced Songo'o (78 mins) as Alty laboured to get frward with sufficient alacrity. Cooper again found touch with a pass, his third such slip since he had joined the game (88 mins).

Four added minutes wer decreed and Morecambe nodded a decent chance over the bar in the first of those minutes.

When Cooper took a poor touch inside the box, a Morecambe man went down as the defender challenged him but plausible appeals for a penalty went unheeded by Mr Barlow. The referee was likewise unmoved in the fifth added minute when Golden was felled in the box at the other end, so the score remained one apiece.