ALTRINCHAM suffered a defensive nightmare after losing 2-1 to Dover Athletic.

Before the game, Altrincham were without injured central defenders, Tom Marshall (broken leg) and Luca Havern (hamstring). During this match, they also lost left-back Adam Griffin and goalkeeper Stuart Coburn to injuries, meaning four of the back-five which started the season had been sidelined already this season.

They ended this game with outfield player Nicky Clee in goal, having used all of their substitutes before Coburn's injury.

To add insult to injury, Coburn was down, injured, in the lead up to Dover's decisive 89th minute goal.

On a sweltering afternoon, Dover had the better of the first half.

They took a 22nd minute lead when a fierce cross-cum-shot from the right, by Payne, was smartly diverted into the net, off the cross-bar by Acheampong.

The goal came after two Altrincham players had got in each other's way.

But, four minutes before the interval, a fine diagonal ball forward from near half way, by Sinnott, found Bowerman.

He controlled it well and made space to hit a low shot into the corner of the net to make it 1-1.

With the heat not helping the quality of the game, Alty lost left-back Griffin to what looked like a hip or lower back injury just seven minutes into the second half.

Play was now fairly scrappy, with Leather continuing to impress in the Alty backline, alongside loanee debutant Parry.

In the 89th minute, the game seemed to be drifting towards a stalemate when Dover won a corner which Leather had thought would be a goalkick.

Following this, Coburn slipped as he came out of goal but, despite being grounded, still managed to block the ball.

A follow-up was cleared off the line by Leather only for Raggett to hammer the ball past a prostrate Altrincham keeper.

After lengthy treatment, Coburn was helped off and substitute left-back Clee had to go in goal. He made a couple of excellent stops as the 10 men played out some five minutes of injury time.

Alty have a week to try and muster a fit defence for the arrival of Tranmere Rovers at the J. Davidson Stadium next Saturday (29th, 3pm).

ALTRINCHAM: Coburn, Densmore (capt), Leather, Parry, Griffin (Clee), Moult, Richman, Sinnott, Bowerman (O'Keefe), Rankine (Reeves). Unused subs:

Deasy, Griffith.