The Robins, who'd crushed their Sussex hosts 3-0 at Moss Lane just four days previously, had to settle for a 2-2 draw on the south coast after Eastbourne's Simon Weatherstone thwarted their hopes of a repeat win by netting a controversial 83rd minute penalty equaliser.
Alty had fought back from going a goal down inside four minutes to lead 2-1 through Chris Denham (44) and Chris Senior (68), only to have victory cruelly snatched away from them when Nicky Clee was adjudged to have pushed Eastbourne's Matt Smart inside the box.
"The penalty was disappointing," said Altrincham's assistant-boss Kenny McKenna. "Nobody appealed and we felt we should have been given a free-kick for a foul against us in the build-up."
Alty gave a debut as substitute to left-back Ryan Brown, who has joined them from neighbours Northwich.
The draw takes them up one place to 10th, 10 points adrift of the play-off zone but with a game in hand on four of the pace-setters.
Meanwhile, Droylsden wasted a chance to step up their Blue Square North play-off push ahead of tonight's key home clash with Alfreton as they were held 1-1 by rock-bottom visitors Vauxhall Motors.
Former Altrincham defender Chris Lane stunned the Bloods by firing the Motormen into a shock 35th minute lead and they were then grateful to Shaun Whalley for rescuing them a point with his 15th goal of the season.
Stalybridge gave their fading promotion challenge a boost as they ended a seven-game winless stretch with a Warren Peyton penalty five minutes into injury-time giving them a dramatic 2-1 victory at Gloucester - their first win under new boss Jim Harvey.
Trailing with just 10 minutes left, Bridge equalised through Joe O'Neill, who then won them the spot-kick dispatched by Peyton to keep them on the fringe of the play-off race.
Relegation-threatened Hyde United, who tonight entertain high-flying Hinckley, continued their brave bid for safety by making it five games unbeaten as David McNiven's 40th minute equaliser secured them a valuable 1-1 draw at Stafford.
But McNiven later turned villain by hitting the post with a penalty which had offered the Tigers the chance of a third successive win.
Northwich, whose chairman, Jim Rushe, has pledged not to risk another ten-point deduction by failing to pay off debts to rival clubs, kept their faint play-off hopes alive with Nat Kerr, Jamie Vermiglio, Ian Herring (pen) and Wayne Riley on target in a stirring 4-1 comeback triumph over Ilkeston.
Curzon Ashton's promotion hopes suffered a set-back in a goalless draw at Woodley, while Trafford and Mossley each succumbed to high-flying opposition in losing to Colwyn Bay and FC Halifax.
But Radcliffe won 1-0 at Bamber Bridge thanks to an Adam Roscoe goal and a Lloyd Rigby penalty save, while Leigh snatched a point at Wakefield with late strikes by Matt Jansen and Andy Heald earning them a 2-2 draw.
Ramsbottom spurned a golden opportunity to close the gap on likely Vodkat League champions Newcastle, who were without a game, as they squandered a two-goal lead in drawing 2-2 with Squires Gate.
High Peak neighbours Glossop and New Mills each advanced to the League Cup quarter-finals with wins over AFC Liverpool and Daisy Hill.
:: Droylsden's game against Alfreton on Monday night has been postponed.
Tweet
