ALTRINCHAM 0 MACCLESFIELD TOWN 0

ALTRINCHAM'S first goalless draw of the season against Macclesfield Town on Saturday left the Robins with just one win from their last dozen National League games.

It was their fifth draw in six outings and means they drop into the bottom four having now failed to win despite having played five successive home fixtures.

In spite of the atrocious weather in midweek, the pitch was perfectly playable though obviously quite heavy and soft on the surface.

The visitors, like Alty, have not been enjoying good form and the first half became a war of attrition with little in the way of goal threat from either side from open play.

The nearest to a first-half goal came with 22 minutes gone and rain pouring down, when Alty defender Luca Havern was harshly penalised for handball just outside his penalty area.

From the resulting free kick former Alty loanee and current Macclesfield captain, Paul Turnbull, smashed his effort against the bar.

The second half saw an improved showing from Altrincham but, again, chances in front of either goal were scarce.

The best opportunity to break the deadlock arrived just after the 62nd minute introduction of substitute Damian Reeves. The striker was put clear by captain Jake Moult's industry in midfield, but the normally lethal finisher was well off target with his effort as keeper Shwan Jalal advanced towards him.

Burnley loanee Josh Ginnelly was Alty's brightest threat going forward but, at the back, central defenders Marcus Holness and Havern worked hard to keep out the Silkmen.

Elsewhere, FC Halifax Town's win at Southport lifted them above Altrincham who have a game in hand on the team immediately above them, Boreham Wood.

ALTRINCHAM: Deasy, Sinnott, Havern, Holness, Griffin, Moult, Crowther (Reeves), Ginnelly, Richman, Lawrie, Rankine. Unused subs: O'Keefe, Bowerman, Heathcote, Leather.