ALTRINCHAM 1, EASTLEIGH 1
Flying winger Ryan Colclough shot down the Spitfires as his late equaliser for Altrincham put a serious dent in Eastleigh’s promotion hopes.
When Tyrone Barnett headed Eastleigh in front, the goal propelled the Hampshire side into the National League play-off places.
They were on course to register a seventh victory on eight games as it looked as though their fine end-of-season form had finally propelled them into the top seven with only one match left as they took advantage of their game in hand – their original trip to Moss Lane earlier this month was postponed through a waterlogged pitch.
At that stage it left the destiny in their own hands as they know a win in Saturday’s final match at Solihull Moors would seal a play-off spot against seemingly overwhelming odds not many weeks ago.
That was until Colclough scored an equaliser with 12 minutes left as Altrincham became party poopers.
Now Eastleigh must win at Solihull and rely on slips by either Wrexham or Chesterfield who are immediately above them.
There was controversy towards the end of an eminently forgettable opening period when Eastleigh had a penalty shout rejected.
And to add insult to injury, the Spitfires had former Reading player Ben House booked for diving when to the naked eye he looked to be clipped by Toby Mullarkey.
It provided the only debate in which both sides failed to deliver in the final third in the first 45 minutes.
The nearest the visitors came to breaking the deadlock was when Barnett, who once was bought by Peterborough for £1.2 million, saw a lob fly wide while Joe Tomlinson’s fierce angled drive was shovelled to safety by goalkeeper Tony Thompson.
The only opening Altrincham had was a speculative 35-yard drive from Colclough which whistled past the upright.
The deadlock was broken eight minutes after the restart as old war horse Barnett found the net.
Captain Danny Hollands, the former Bournemouth, Charlton and Portsmouth midfielder sprayed a pass to Michael Green and his deep cross to the far post was headed back across the face of goal by 35-year-old Barnett from six yards.
It was Barnett’s 12th and at that time arguably most important goal of the season for the Spitfires’ leading marksman.
The visitors had a scare when Shaun Densmore bent a free kick over the defensive wall, but it arrowed narrowly wide with goalkeeper Joe McDonnell scampering across his goal.
Plucky Altrincham kept battling away and were rewarded with a 78th minute equaliser.
Referee Tom Parsons had a key role as he allowed play on following a blatant foul by Pierce Bird in midfield.
Altrincham released former Crewe, Wigan and Scunthorpe winger Colclough on the left of the box as he slipped a shot low past McDonnell as it trickled in at the far post, his eighth goal of the season.
And in the latter stages, the Robins had chances to win the match as Eastleigh, in control for so much of the match, suddenly crumbled.
McDonnell made a great save to keep put a fierce 25-yard drive from Joel Senior and then in the fourth and final minute of stoppage time substitute Tom Peers saw a drive flash inches wide.