BARROW 3 ALTRINCHAM 2

AT the end of a turbulent week which had seen the departure of their manager of five years, Lee Sinnott, Altrincham lost by the odd goal in five for the second time in four days.

At a dull and drizzly Holker Street, Altrincham, under the caretaker managership of Neil Tolson, took an 18th-minute lead. James Lawrie had been fouled by Barrow's former Alty loanee Andy Parry.

From the free kick, nearly 25 yards out, the departed manager's son Jordan Sinnott drove a superb strike into the top corner of the Barrow net.

Altrincham looked the better side as the first half wore on but then lost centre-back Marcus Holness.

The Tranmere loanee had to go off for attention to a facial cut and in the 10 minutes he was missing, Barrow equalised.

The leveller came from a corner which Alty defended poorly.

Despite having all 10 players back in their own penalty area, they failed to mark Barrow centre-back Danny Livesey, who was left unmarked to tap the ball home at the back post, two minutes before the break.

Alty almost equalised five minutes into the second half when another well-taken Sinnott free kick forced a good save from keeper Joel Dixon.

However, two more Barrow goals in a five-minute spell midway through the second half settled the outcome.

First, burly striker Andy Cook was allowed to burst between defenders Gianluca Havern and Scott Leather, to shoot past exposed goalkeeper Tim Deasy.

Just five minutes later Cook got free again and forced a fine stop from Deasy but the loose ball ran free for Ben Tomlinson to net from close range.

However, barely two minutes later, Alty got back in the game as James Lawrie scored a fine goal from outside the box. His curling left-footed shot went in off the inside of the post.

But the visitors could not get an equaliser and left Cumbria with their National League record now reading one win in their last 14 fixtures.

Next up is a home game against Aldershot Town at the J. Davidson Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Over Easter, Alty travel to FC Halifax Town on Saturday, March 26 (12.45pm) before welcoming Southport to the J. Davidson Stadium on Easter Monday (3pm).

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