PHIL Parkinson was left to run missed chances after seeing Altrincham’s unbeaten run ended by what he described as a "smash and grab act" against Wrexham at a freezing Broadhurst Park on Tuesday night.
In a game switched to FC United of Manchester’s ground after exceptional January rainfall took its toll on Alty’s pitch, the Robins dominated the first half, only to go behind from a quickly-taken free-kick in the 36th minute.
A long-range special from Ryan Colclough hauled them level in the 50th minute, but another set-piece goal in the 68th minute proved their undoing and ended a sequence of two draws and three wins since their previous defeat six weeks ago.
“I’m bitterly disappointed, because our lads have really been at it without getting what they deserve,” said Parkinson. “There’s a lot that’s right about what we did, and it feels like a bit of a smash and grab act, to be honest.
“We will win more than we lose if we keep playing like that, though, and we will head for Yeovil on Saturday and do everything we can to get the show back on the road.”
Alty were left to rue a series of missed chances with Alistair Smith, Matty Kosylo and Andy White all going close in the opening minutes, while Byron Harrison was denied by Christian Dibble in a one-on-one with the keeper, as the striker’s search for a first Alty goal continued.
“Byron does some really good stuff, and the reason he plays is because he brings others into the game and is so unselfish in his overall play,” added Parkinson. “But he hasn’t shown yet that when he gets into the box, he is going to score.
“He knows that when you play centre-forward, you’ve got to do that. He will be devastated, because he is working his socks off for us.
“I’m really disappointed, because you’ve got to score when you’re through one-on-one, and if he had, I think we would have gone on to win comfortably, because we were playing that well and dominating so much.
“We should have been well out of sight after those opening exchanges, but their keeper has got them out of jail. We’ve seen what this level is about, and how you get punished if you don’t put your chances away, and that’s why I keep saying we shouldn’t get carried away when we’re winning.”
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