ALTRINCHAM pulled off their 17th Football League scalp in the FA Cup after springing a 1-0 upset against Barnsley.

Without an injured trio from their defence and with two other players only fit enough to start the game on the bench, the Robins had too much for their Yorkshire visitors from League One, two grades

higher in football's pyramid.

Having denied Alty a £12,000 TV coverage fee by refusing to switch the game to Sunday, Barnsley instead condemned their 800 supporters to a soaking and a defeat on a rain-drenched Saturday afternoon at the J. Davidson Stadium.

The visitors started the game quite well but without seriously threatening a goal; in the home goal, Tim Deasy made his first save of note just a minute before the interval.

Indeed, as the first half developed, Altrincham had begun to get the upper hand.

Then, referee Haines waved away strong Alty appeals for a penalty for handball as the first half which ended goalless.

But it took Altrincham fewer than two second-half minutes to score what proved to be the decisive goal.

Ryan Crowther dispossessed the dawdling Wilkinson 40 yards from Barnsley's goal.

He advanced into the box and fired at goal.

Tykes' keeper Davies could not hold the shot and Damian Reeves pounced to net the loose ball as defender Nayatanga appealed wrongly for offside instead of making a challenge.

A few minutes later, Barnsley manager Lee Johnson brought on three substitutes to try and kick-start a revival from his under-performing squad who arrived in Cheshire on a rune of seven successive League One defeats.

The ruse worked insofar as the Yorkshiremen began to get forward with a bit more purpose.

But the visitors' passing and shooting remained poor, with Wilkinson wasting their best opening with a wayward shot wide.

Those efforts which did get through a resolute Alty backline, deprived of injured captain Luca Havern soon after the hour mark, were capably handled by goalkeeper Deasy.

Despite the visitors' late pressure, Altrincham remained a threat on the counter-attack and ran out well-deserved winners, in the process achieving their seventeenth Football League scalp in the FA Cup.

Next up Alty make a long trip to Bromley in the National League next Saturday for a game which will be televised live by BT Sport (1230pm).