LEE Sinnott detected more signs of progress from his developing Altrincham team after they threatened to stall Woking’s promotion push before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat at Kingfield on Tuesday night.

Woking remain in the thick of the promotion race, but could easily have been trailing at half-time, after Tom Marshall was harshly judged to have fouled the keeper, as he bundled the ball over the line.

"As we came out for the start of the second half, the fourth official told us the referee had disallowed it because there had been contact between Tom and their keeper and neither had touched the ball," said Alty boss Sinnott.

"The implication was Tom just careered into him, but I didn’t exactly see it that way, and neither did Tom. He says he didn’t foul anyone, and he’s adamant he did get a touch on the ball to send it over the line, but what can you do? I think, generally, keepers are a bit over-protected.

"We grew into the game after the first 15 minutes, but while some things we did were okay-to-good, a couple of other things prevented us pushing on from there. We didn’t defend the first goal well enough, and while it was a nice ball through for the second, we have been cutting those out recently.

"Against Kidderminster on Saturday, we played good football in pockets, and those pockets were enough to bring us two goals and a win after we had gone behind. They weren’t enough at Woking, but it still shows the progress we are making that we are disappointed at not taking something from one of the league’s top sides. Woking are a good team, very good going forward."

Alty will again be without Nicky Clee, as he recovers from a broken toe, at Forest Green Rovers on Saturday, while keeper Stuart Coburn is a doubt with a groin injury.

"Stuart just opened out a bit, as he cleared the ball, and he needed some treatment," added Sinnott. "He may just have tweaked the groin, so we’ll have to see how he is. Nicky stubbed his toe playing with his little lad, and that set him back a bit. He could be a possibility for the Macclesfield FA Trophy tie. If not, then the game after that."