If anyone doubted that Altrincham face a battle against relegation, they must recognize reality now after this home defeat to a second-half smash-and-grab by Yeovil Town.

The only goal of what turned into a very wet afternoon arrived in the 87th minute. Altrincham had dominated after the interval but, with little time left, a Robins' clearance cannoned off another player giving Yeovil fortuitous possession and, though the Glovers'initial shot was parried by Hutchinson, substitute Works netted the loose ball in front of the bedraggled 201 away suppooters who had made the long trip from Somerset.

In a bizarre first half of three penalty incidents, Altrincham had two players (Golden and Knowles) booked for alleged simulation and when, between those incidents, they were actually awarded a spot-kick by the home crowd's bete-noire, referee Thomas, given for Mukena's foul on Reddin, Knowles failed to beat Ward from the spot.

Altrincham dropped to nineteenth after this defeat but, having played more games than teams below them, they are now within immediate catching distance of two other clubs.

SCORERS:

• 87 mins: Terrell WORKS (ALTRINCHAM 0 Yeovil Town 1)

REFEREE: Mr Gareth Thomas

ATTENDANCE: 1,764 (201 in away section)

TEAM NEWS:

Having signed nine new players since mid-December, and despite no fewer than another nine players being out injured, not one of the new faces was in the starting eleven, which entirely comprised players who were at the club at the start of this season or in Eddy Jones's case at the end of last season before a mid-season return.

The nine absentees today included six long-term cases affecting the defence; Ross, Barnes, Baines, Banks, Sass-Davies and Reed. Added to those were midfielders Khan and Humbles, who had missed the midweek game, and were again out injured today. The Mystery of the Missing Captain entered another chapter as Baines's unexplained absence from the squad continued for a sixth successive league fixture.

Compared with their last league outing, Yeovil boss Billy Rowley made five changes, at least one of which was enforced as Aaron Jarvis was missing under the concussion protocols. As well as Jarvis, out of the side that had lost in their last league outing at Brackley three weeks ago, went Finn-Dawson, McCormick and Daly, who all moved to the bench, whilst Page was absent from the squad completely

Into the starting eleven for the Glovers came Campbell, Mukena, Perrett, Tobin and McGavin.

Yeovil's green and white hoops make player identification difficult. Not only are the numbers printed in black over the green and white hoops but the players' names appear in black on a green background.

LINE-UP:

ALTRINCHAM (Red shirts with white pinstripes, black shorts and white socks):30. Luke Hutchinson, 23. Tylor Golden, 34. Dan Sassi, 5. Jake Cooper, 33. Eddy Jones, 8. Isaac Marriott, 22. Tom Crawford (c), 14. Matty Kosylo, 20. Kahrel Reddin, 40. Charlie Kirk, 11. Jimmy Knowles. Subs: 6. Josh Grant, 9. Declan Howe, 12. Kian Breckin, 17. Lucas Weaver, 27. Louie Fallon (gk), 26. Anthony Forde, 31. Charlie Olson

YEOVIL TOWN (Green and white hoops, white shorts and green socks) 1. Jed Ward, 2. Joy Mukena, 18. Troy Perrett, 6. Jake Wannell (c), 26. Kyle Ferguson, 21. Harvey Greenslade, 7. Josh Tobin, 28. Dakarai Mafico, 14. Brett McGavin 19. Josh Sims, 29. Tahvon Campbell. Subs: 5. Finn Cousin-Dawson, 8. Luke McCormick, 11. James Daly, 10. Ryan Jones, 34. Jaydon Biss, 38. Terrell Works, 22. Matt Gould (gk)

BACKGROUND:

Although, at kick off, the two teams lay 15th and 16th respectively, level on points, the higher placed Yeovil had three games in hand on Altrincham.

Altrincham had made nine signings since December including two since their midweek draw with Morecambe in Kian Breckin and Declan Howe.

The Glovers were comparatively rested having last played a week earlier securing an away win in the FA Trophy at AFC Telford United and their last league game had been three weeks ago in a defeat at Brackley Town..

Neither team was in good form. Yeovil had only won three of their last 14 league fixtures, having lost eight times and drawn on three occasions in that sequence. Alty meanwhile

Alty had picked up five points in their last four league games but they were the only points gained over their last nine league matches.

The pitch had been subject to large amounts of rain in the prceeding days but was in good condition, nevertheless.

REPORT:

Altrincham kicked off towards the away end but it was Yeovil, in their first foray forward, who won the first corner through Greenslade, from a Perrett feed on the left (2 mins).

There was early controversy when a neat move between Crawford, Marriott and Kirk got Golden towards the left bye-line and into the box. He sold the defender a dummy and went down under what looked like a trip; he had no reason to go down otherwise. However, to Golden's consternation, referee Thomas not only awarded a Yeovil freekick but booked the Alty man for simulation. It was the defender's third successive yellow card (9 mins).

Undeterred it was Golden who won Alty's first corner, from the left (15 mins). From Kirk's corner, Alty's appeals for handball were also rejected by Mr Thomas

A foul by Kosylo on Mafico gave the visitors a freekick just a couple of yards outside the front of the box, slightly left of centre, but Hutchinson beat away the Yeovil effort from McGavin (17 mins).

Mr Thomas was proving unpopular with Neil Gibson and the Altrincham crowd and when he penalized Sassi against Greenslade the Alty boss was fuming.

Next a deflected Yeovil shot won a corner and soon afterwards they threatened again and an effort appeared to hit the post before being scrambled clear (22 mins). Alty responded as Knowles got to the left bye-line to win a corner but nothing came of this (23 mins).

As Reddin got into the right, front corner of the box, he was brought down by Mukena and, this time, even Mr Thomas thought it was a penalty. Knowles took the kick but Ward saved it, diving to his left, pushing the ball away (27 mins) and another corner soon followed for Altrincham.

There was more disappointment soon afterwards when Marriott won the ball and got forward before being penalised. The midfielder went on to put the ball in the net which Mr Thomas interpreted as kicking the ball away and led to his being booked (29 mins).

A lengthy stoppage then unsued as Cooper needed treatment for a head injury (30 mins). As usual in thesd sitauations all of the players decamped to their rspective technical areas for a drink and a tactical talk with their manager.

On resuming, Altrincham continued to enjoy more of the ball without any end product before Golden clearly pushed a defender in the back and the nercurial Mr Thomas nevertheless awarded a corner (40 mins).

Six added minutes were displayed by the fourth official during which Alty won another unproductive corner (45+3 mins). Next a clear off-the-ball foul o Jones went undetected by the referee before the half ended in its seventh added minute.

Yeovil made two interval changes with McCormick replacing Tobin and Jones coming on for Greenslade (46 mins).

McCormick was soon in evidence, winning his side a corner, after which a Perrett effort had to be headed off the line by Cooper (50 mins).

Reddin was looking lively on the right for Altrincham whilst Kosylo's energetic running was also impressing. But Kosylo's shot, saved by Ward, was the most Alty could muster in the way of a goal threat (57 mins)

However, a Reddin shot was then deflected into the air and Ward had to back-pedal smartly to tip it over his bar for a home corner .

Kosylo was perhaps fortunate when he then dived in to make a tackle but play was waved on (59 mins).

Altrincham continued to have the majority of possession and territory and, after a Kirk frekick for a foul on Golden, Cooper had a shot blocked then hit the rebound over the bar (63 mins).

Alty now gave a debut to recent signing Declan Howe, a striker on loan from Scunthorpe United. He replaced Knowles (67 mins).

Teo minutes later the Glovers responded with a double swap as Works and Cousin-Dawson replaced Perrett and Mukena (69 mins). The visitors then spurned a gift from Altrincham as Golden, attempting to clear, played the ball laterally, where it was seized on by an opponnet who fired over the bar from a central position (70 mins).

The half was largely being played in Yeovil territory but Kosylo's smart half-volley, wide of goal, exemplified Alty's lack of accurate firepower.

In their final change, Daly now replaced Campbell for the visitors (73 mins). Soon, Yeovil again failed to capitalise on poor Alty play as Hutchinson kicked a low clearance out to an opponent, Daly. Cooper was then booked for a pull (77 mins) as Alty laboured to turn possession into anything more threatening.

Recent signing, Breckin, a former Manchester City academy product, now made his debut in place of Kirk (79 mins).

Yeovil were posing an occasional threat and Hutchinso was now called to make a fairly routine save (80 mins). Still ALty continued to have the better of play but two successive corners came to nothing (83 mins). The second corner did produce a smart shot by Sassi which skimmed the Yeovil bar (84 mins).

With a goalless draw looking the likely outcome, disaster strick for Alty when a clearance in the outer reaches of their box cannoned off another player and fell for McCormick. His shot was beaten away by Hutchinson but fell for Works to score to the delight of the soaking away fans behind the goal (87 mins).

The goal was certainly against the run of play but Altrincham had not troubled Ward in the Yeovil goal unduly thoroughout the game so could not complain too much.

Four added minutes failed to produce an equaliser so Alty found themselves beaten for the 18th time this season, the equal worst record in the division. They dropped down to nineteenth in the league and are now catchable by two clubs who are below them but with games in hand, for whom three points would bring them level with the Robins.