Altrincham bowed out of the FA Cup on Saturday, as a late goal from Harrison McGahey secured Oldham Athletic passage into the first-round draw, where their reward was an away tie against League Two side, Newport County.

The Latics had been boosted by the appointment of Micky Mellon less than 24 hours before the game, to replace David Unsworth, who had been relieved of his duties a month ago.

Almost 4,000 turned up - the second highest attendance of the round, producing the third highest gate receipts in Altrincham’s history - to watch an enthralling and tense encounter, that always had the feel of a tie that would be settled by a single goal.

And so it proved in the 80th minute, when a corner fell to McGahey, who calmly side-footed past the outstretched left hand of Ethan Ross, who had signed permanently for Altrincham last Friday.

The Robins will reflect on a key moment around the hour mark.

Breaking swiftly, four on three, Alex Newby slid a ball into Dior Angus, whose goalbound shot was deflected on to the bar by a remarkable sliding challenge from Liam Hogan - the Latics’ best player throughout.

It was a frustrating afternoon for the Robins and manager Phil Parkinson said: “I really felt that with the form we were on and that they are going through a transitional period, that we could have taken advantage of that.

“With their new manager, they will be a different animal in a few months’ but you don’t always get what you want or what you deserve.

“We had the best chances in the game with the Alex Newby one, late in the first half, but when Dior Angus was through in the second half and his shot skimmed up and hit the bar, you wonder if it’s going to be your day.

“But, I don’t think that, in the second half, we posed enough of a threat, even though we’ve worked their keeper more than they have worked ours.”

It’s back to league action now for Alty, with two home games against Dorking Wanderers, on Saturday, and then it’s just £5 admission on Tuesday night for Alty’s ‘Footy for a Fiver’ initiative, when Kidderminster Harriers are the visitors for a game it is hoped will attract the biggest home league crowd of the season during the school half-term holiday week.

The J.Davidson Stadium should be rocking for both games, as the Robins look to continue their best league form since the last century, going into this vital period on the back of five consecutive wins - a run that has propelled the club into a play-off place and the dizzy heights of fourth in the National League.