Phil Parkinson pointed an accusing finger at his Altrincham players after another slow start dashed their hopes of a third straight National League win against Bromley at The J.Davidson Stadium on Tuesday night.
Looking to build on morale-boosting victories over Chesterfield and Boreham Wood, Alty paid the price for conceding inside the opening 20 minutes for the fourth home game in succession as they slumped to a 1-0 defeat.
In a game of few clear-cut chances, striker Fisayo Adarabioyo squandered Alty’s best two openings either side of half-time, but Parkinson was unequivocal about where the blame lay for his team’s failure to build on their recent momentum.
"I have to question a few of the players about what is expected at this level in terms of mental strength and game management," said the Alty boss. "We have lads with vast experience and knowhow who should know better about how to start games and avoid giving yourselves a mountain to climb.
"I could sense it in the warm-up. I’m not sure whether it was a lack of energy after so many recent games or concentration, but I went round all the lads in the changing room afterwards, pointing a few fingers.
"Not shouting and screaming, but asking questions, because no-one came out of it with any credit. When you have that many below par, you don’t deserve to win, yet we weren’t that far away from getting something out of it, which is really disappointing.
"Fis could have won it for us or at least got us a draw, but it’s not down to him that we lost. Not at all. It’s because we weren’t alert enough and didn’t defend our box in the first three minutes."
Alty face losing Matty Kosylo to suspension after his 90th-minute sending-off for what looked an innocuous challenge. It followed an earlier red card for Bromley’s Ben Williamson, and Parkinson said: "I thought both were very harsh, and the one for Matty stank of the referee evening things up because he probably felt the first was a poor decision. All we can do is appeal if we feel there may be grounds, but there’s not a great deal you can do."
Alty, who hope to have Tom Peers available after injury at home to Maidenhead United on Saturday, have signed former Scunthorpe winger Ryan Colclough, below, on a short-term deal until the New Year.
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