OUTGOING manager Lee Sinnott urged his Altrincham players to grasp the nettle and do whatever it takes to turn fortune their way and lift themselves out of the National League's bottom four.

Alty were out of luck against 3-2 winners Gateshead on Tuesday as they conceded a freakish goal soon after levelling at 1-1, and were then denied a second equaliser when a goalbound Marcus Holness header struck team-mate Damian Reeves on the line.

Gateshead's second goal summed up Alty's current fortunes, as a harmless-looking shot straight at Tim Deasy somehow evaded the keeper's grasp and trickled over the line.

It was a defeat that led to the manager's exit from the club after five years at the helm.

But Sinnott, who spoke before his departure yesterday, was in no mood for blaming fate, as he prepared for Saturday's trip to Barrow.

And he insisted their destiny would be shaped by their own endeavours in the remaining 11 games.

"Neither side totally dominated, so it came down to fine margins again, as has been the case quite a few times lately," said the Alty manager.

"You can make mistakes when you are on a run, and they don't matter, but make them when you're finding it hard, and it costs.

"That's football. What's the remedy? Work a damn sight harder, and I told the players that afterwards.

"Lose concentration for a split-second, and you pay, so physically and mentally, we have to work harder to turn things round.

"It's going to take everything we've got, concentration and an even greater work-rate.

"They are working hard now, but what do you do? Say that's enough?

"It's not enough at the moment, because things are not falling for us.

"You have to make your own luck. No-one is going to do it for you.

"Barrow are not going to give us any luck on Saturday, so the players have to extract even more out of themselves.

'Of course I feel sorry for Tim, but I feel sorry for his team-mates and the supporters as well.

"It was a lapse of concentration on his part, no point trying to dress it up any other way, but he has to put it behind him.

"It's a man's game, show some character."