Neil Tolson vowed to lift his 'devastated' players after Altrincham suffered a damaging defeat and lost defender Marcus Holness to a straight red card at The J Davidson Stadium on Tuesday night.

Alty's relegation worries deepened after they surrendered a lead for a third successive time against 2-1 winners Dover and then had in-form centre-back Holness sent off for a last-second foul.

Referee Martin Coy blew the final whistle a split-second later and appeared not to produce a card, though he later revealed Holness had been dismissed for an offence that seems certain to carry a three-match ban.

Alty now face a must-win home game with Bromley on Saturday, and caretaker-manager Tolson said: "I don't know how many times I've gone into the changing room and said one mistake has cost us the game, and it has happened again.

"We have played well, looked comfortable, created chances and scored a great goal to go in front but still lost, and the players are devastated. They are distraught in there, but it's the job of myself and Matt Doughty to pick them up, because there are still 15 points to play for.

"I will pick myself up. I have been in football long enough to deal with this and be ready for the next game. Sometimes you go away and question yourself, but I'm thinking 'no, there's not a lot wrong.'

"If there was, I'm a big enough and brave enough person to go and have a chat with the chairman and say 'you know what? I'm out of my depth here.'

"But I'm not, and I know for a fact I'm not. I know for a fact we are not a million miles away. We are a good footballing team who just need a bit of luck here and there and we'll be fine.

"We are going to need three wins at least, starting on Saturday. I love this club and I love what I'm doing, and the job now is to get the players buzzing and flying in training, so they're ready to go again on Saturday."