OUR play-off hopes may be over but we should not be feeling sorry for ourselves.

Last night's defeat at Altrincham indicates we can no longer make the Nationwide North play-offs.

However, with fifth-placed Kettering winning at Stalybridge Celtic, it probably would not have mattered had we won.

It's disappointing to miss out, but the run we've been on leading up to the game has been absolutely magnificent.

To go to Moss Lane with four games left with a little chance of the play-offs was a fantastic achievement.

We could not have even thought about that two months ago and the players deserve a pat on the back for that.

They have done a great job and shown plenty of desire and passion.

A look at Stalybridge's position shows just how well our players have done.

When Celtic beat us 1-0 last month, they went four points behind us. Now they are in the bottom three while we are seventh.

Yesterday was a bad day all round, beginning with the coach journey. We turned up late for the game after getting stuck in traffic. Maybe it just was not meant to be.

The referee then gave us about five minutes to prepare for the game when we arrived at the ground.

We were late but everybody knew the motorway was shut. It was one of those freak things. But he gave us five minutes, which was nice of him!

There was no reason why he couldn't have given us longer. But then, he refereed like he didn't want to do anything for us either.

We won a penalty but it was a deliberate hand-ball by the lad and there should have been at least a booking or sending-off.

Adam Webster is normally reliable with penalties but the goalkeeper has pulled off a decent save.

However, we should have got a second penalty straight after. Webby cut across the defender and the lad caught him and stopped him from scoring.

It had to be a penalty. There could be no other decision, but I think the referee bottled it because he'd already given one penalty.

There was another strange decision for Altrincham's second goal when Paul Carty got fouled in the corner and yet nothing was given.

But you have to take the rough with the smooth with decisions. It's frustrating at the time, but when you sit back and analyse things, it is the same all the way through the league.

But the referee's decisions do not detract from the game. I don't think we deserved to win it. We didn't defend well enough at times.

They scored just before half-time and that was a killer goal. We huffed and puffed but I think the effort the lads put in showed towards the end.

We've now got three games remaining to have a look at one or two things for next season.

We can give players, who have waited for their opportunity, a chance to make a case for next year. That's the way we must look at it.

We'll be looking at the likes of Dan Parker and Liam McDonald to show what they can do.