Regan Linney’s first half opener condemned Sutton to a narrow defeat at the J Davidson Stadium.
Altrincham number nine Linney gave the hosts the lead after just ten minutes when he ran onto a dangerous penetrative pass from deep, before dispatching into the bottom corner to break the deadlock.
Steve Morison’s side struggled to produce enough quality in the final third with substitute Nana Boateng perhaps creating their best opening just after the hour-mark, and while Jack Sims keeping the score down with two superb stops in the second half, the U’s couldn’t do their bit at the other end of the pitch as they fell to defeat on the road.
Sutton subsequently return to South London empty handed, and will be looking to bounce back in the National League Cup with the visit of West Ham United on Tuesday night.
Two changes to the starting XI saw Will Davies return from a minor head injury in place of Siju Odelusi, with Lewis Simper dropping into a deeper midfield role while Jeremy Sivi replaced Ryan Jackson on the right flank.
A tightly contested affair would see the seventh placed team in the division take on the eighth placed team, and it was the latter who produced the first opening of proceedings after just three minutes. An early chance for the hosts saw Tyler French called into action to head a dangerous Alex Newby free kick off the line.
This would be followed by a couple of half chances for Finley Barbrook, who first saw an effort blocked from point blank range before firing a powerful half volley goalward moments later that needed to be blocked by Robins’ skipper Lewis Baines.
Altrincham would soon draw first blood though, with an inch-perfect pass from deep sent Linney through on goal who made no mistake from a few yards out.
Linney would then go close to a second moments later as he attempted to catch Jack Sims off his line, but the U’s number one was equal to his effort from distance.
In search of a leveller, Hayden Muller would head a looping Lewis Simper free kick just over the crossbar, shortly before a golden opportunity fell to the hosts.
A long ball from deep would catch Charlie Waller out on the flank and allowed Matty Koslyo to drive forward before picking out George Wilson on the edge of the box, with Barbrook the hero as the Ipswich Town loanee threw himself in front of what was a powerful shot.
Newby would then go close as he drilled a low effort well wide following a shortly taken free kick.
Altrincham had controlled much of the ball throughout the first half, but Sutton almost nicked a leveller shortly before the break as Sivi drilled a low ball into the dangerous area, with a home defender alert to poke the ball away before Davies could tap home from close range, and meaning the half would end with a narrow advantage in favour of the hosts going into the interval.
The hosts were almost gifted the first opportunity of the second half when Simper was caught dawdling in the centre of the park, with Koslyo nicking the ball away before threading a ball through to Newby, who was denied by some strong defending from French.
In pursuit of a leveller, Steve Morison opted to change shape shortly before the hour-mark when Nana Boateng was introduced in place of Sivi, with his backline shifting across and joined by Besart Topallaj to create a back four.
This would almost have the desired effect minutes later, but the U’s had to first keep an onslaught of Altrincham pressure at bay in the moments following the change.
Jack Sims would be called into action twice in quick succession, first to produce an outstanding point blank save to deny Tom Crawford, shortly before being equal to a powerful Wilson strike from the edge of the box.
And this would then be followed by a couple of superb chances for the visitors, with Simper first striking over the crossbar with a speculative effort from distance, moments before Boateng had his first impact of the game when he slid a ball across goal towards the onrushing Davies, only to be denied by a crucial last-ditch challenge from Baines.
Sims would then deny Wilson once again, showing a strong hand to deny the Robins’ midfielder before Hayden Muller got in front of Linney in the nick of time to deny the follow-up.
Entering the final stages, Sutton were still trailing when Baines once again produced some superb defending to deny Davies and Barbrook twice in quick succession, before a late change in midfield saw Odelusi replace Jack Wadham.
This wasn’t enough to see Sutton over the line though, with Altrincham keeping a strong last line of defence to condemn the U’s to a first defeat in six outings.
Altrincham: Ross; Banks, Baines, Osborne (Marriott 69’), Linney (Bickerstaff 90+2’), Newby (Weaver 90+3’), Kosylo (Reddin 85’), Wilson, Crawford, Golden, Olson
Sutton United: Sims; French, Muller, Waller; Sivi (Boateng 57’), Barbrook, Simper, Topallaj; Nadesan, Wadham (Odelusi 85’); Davies
