SECOND-placed Barnet completed the double over Altrincham but won few friends at the J. Davidson Stadium with a rugged performance assisted by some contentious refereeing decisions.

Altrincham were chasing the Vanarama Conference game after central defender Tom Marshall received a red card in the fifth minute for bringing down the forceful Jon Akinde in the box – his second dismissal of the campaign.

Akinde got up to score from the spot, just as he had done in the reverse fixture which the Bees had won 5-0.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 29th minute when a free-kick by Luisma Villa from far left of goal drifted across the penalty area and was apparently helped on into the far corner of the Altrincham net by a slight touch from Michael Gash.

Despite their one-man disadvantage, Altrincham raised their game as the half wore on and seemed to have got some reward when man of the match Simon Richman was felled by already-booked defender N'Gala inside the penalty box just before half time.

The big centre-back had already conceded several free-kicks but had escaped a second card.

Alty wasted the spot-kick when Nicky Clee blasted his shot well over the bar.

N'Gala was substituted at half time and Alty equalised three minutes into the second half when Damian Reeves got the better of defender Vilhete and slotted a low shot across the keeper from left of goal.

The Bees's winner came just after the hour when Gash's looping header beat Stuart Coburn in the Altrincham net.

The 10 men did not give up and applied sustained pressure on the Barnet goal and Reeves had two good chances to score when he flashed a header wide from a superb cross from Jordan Sinnott and then rounded the keeper only to see his goal-bound shot cleared off the line.

After a run of four successive games against top-five teams Alty now travel to relegation-threatened Welling United on Sunday which will be televised live on BT Sport, kick off 1pm.

Altrincham: Coburn, Densmore (capt), Havern, Marshall (Leather 15) , Griffin, Lawrie, Richman, Moult, Clee (Sinnott 79), Reeves, Perry (Cavanagh 79).

Unused subs: Parton, Crowther.