Following a self-imposed 3-2 home defeat by Burton the Robins fell to a similar scoreline at Kidderminster on Saturday.

This time, however, they received great assistance from the referee in sealing their demise.

Against Burton the Robins opened brightly and, crucially, Colin Little missed a glorious chance to put them one up early in the game following a dreadful back header from Stride in the Burton defence.

However the striker failed to even test the goalkeeper when it seemed easier to score.

This miss proved pivotal as defensive errors put the visitors into a 3-1 lead early in the second half.

Little did pull a goal back in the last minute but it was little more than a consolation.

Ultimately it was the familiar story of a reasonable performance but no points to show for their endeavours.

Onwards to Kidderminster and again the Robins opened strongly when excellent and determined work by O'Neill and Chalmers led to Little expertly gliding the latter's cross home.

The lead lasted barely five minutes when Kenna's long throw was headed on and in a case of the biter bit considering the use Altrincham make of Chalmer's long throw expertise.

After this the match was determined by an exquisite display of incompetence and ineptitude by the referee.

He persistently sent Chalmers back down the touchline every time the visitors won a throw-in within range of the home goal.

He booked five Altrincham players - this for a team who committed only nine fouls in the game.

Chalmers was booked for, presumably, describing him as the idiot he undoubtedly was.

He crucially awarded the home side a penalty after blowing his whistle and waiting an age to indicate his decision - it seemed almost blind panic as he struggled to understand his reason for stopping play.

Colin Little then missed another one on one with the keeper.

After O'Neill had equalised the official compounded his error by awarding a very doubtful free kick, after playing the advantage rule, which Coburn could only carry into his own goal.

The home side missed chances to seal the victory but the Robins could not force the equaliser.

This defeat put them in a relegation spot for the first time this season.

The only comfort to be taken from the game is that if the referee's performance is instrumental in sending Altrincham down - which it could well be - then they wouldn't encounter the Somerset buffoon in the Conference North.