ZAK SMACKS GULLS HEARTS

ZAK Goodson broke Torquay United hearts as his last-gasp penalty all but condemned the Gulls to National League South football next season.

Gary Johnson’s Gulls looked to be coasting to crucial three points after captain Asa Hall’s brace turned the game on its head following a first half strike from Regan Linney.

But Hall’s complete performance was to be marred in stoppage time when he lunged at substitute Goodson, who picked himself up to earn Altrincham a point.

“In football you have good days and bad days, and this was a bad day”, said a dejected Johnson. “I’m gutted! Gutted for the club, gutted for the players, gutted for the fans.

“I just wish we’d have had longer with this new group of players, as we’ve had five wins, a loss and a draw, but it is what it is. It’s not mathematical yet and we’ll give it our all on the final day.”

With United needing victory to keep their hopes of staying up alive, the game was open from the first whistle. Alty twice broke on the counter through Linney and Aaron Bennett, but both forwards shot wide.

At the other end, an unbottom marked Frank Nouble headed Jack Stobbs’ low cross wide from inside the sixyard-box on the half hour.

Then on the stroke of half time, the hosts broke the deadlock. Jordan Hulme released Bennett through the middle as the Robins broke clear, and he slid the ball to Linney on the left who hit a crisp first time effort into the far corner.

Bennett should’ve doubled Alty’s lead shortly after the restart after lobbing Mark Halstead from the edge of the area but Tom Lapslie raced to the line to acrobatically clear the ball away.

This spurred the Devon side on and Hall soon grabbed his brace midway through the half.

A Stobbs corner led to a scramble in the penalty area before the midfielder nipped in to toe-poke the ball into the top corner.

And nine minutes later he completed the turnaround after good work from Nouble on the edge of the area fed Hall, who smashed into the left corner from 20 yards.

With time running out, Johnson’s Captain Marvel was again the hero as he somehow managed to deflect Kyle Ferguson’s header onto the bar from close range.

But Hall soon went from hero to zero in a matter of second when, with time ticking down, he lunged at substitute Goodson in the box, and the striker dusted himself off to confidently smash the ball into the bottom corner from 12 yards.

“I’m sure it was entertaining for the neutral”, said assistant Alty boss Neil Sorvel. “But I’m frustrated overall; we just cannot keep clean sheets.”

“We got carried away at 1-0 down and let them back into it. I don’t think either side played that well, but he [Goodson] was cool as a cucumber from the spot at the end. And I’m pleased for the fans.”