It’s the hope that kills you.

And, later, when realisation sets in, it’s the bare truths: this victory was as damaging any anything that has happened this season... and there’s been plenty of previous.

Eastern Daily Press: Aaron Jones cuts a dejected figure at full-timeAaron Jones cuts a dejected figure at full-time (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Lynn went into the game with four points from their last two games. It had taken Altrincham 12 league games, stretching back to November, to accumulate the same. They hadn’t kept a clean sheet away from home and Lynn were starting to find a goal scoring touch.

And despite all that, they blew it.

Eastern Daily Press: Josh Barrett drops to the ground as King's Lynn Town suffer defeat at home to AltrinchamJosh Barrett drops to the ground as King's Lynn Town suffer defeat at home to Altrincham (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Lynn are now 12 points off Maidenhead in the final safe spot, with Barnet another three points away. Defeat for Lynn has seriously reduced the number of teams that might just be catchable and, frankly, even if the Saturday’s performance proves to be an aberration, it is just so hard to make a case for them surviving.

Eastern Daily Press: Paul Jones makes a smart save down to his left to keep out a first-half penaltyPaul Jones makes a smart save down to his left to keep out a first-half penalty (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Lynn survived a penalty – brilliantly saved by Paul Jones – but lost the game to a first-half injury time goal by Ryan Colclough. They rarely forced his opposite number into a save – it took 77 minutes to get an effort on target – and always looked like they had extra men on the pitch. They smothered Lynn when the hosts tried to create on the final third and had acres of space in the middle of the park.

Eastern Daily Press: Josh Barrett drops to the ground as Lynn suffer defeat at home to AltrinchamJosh Barrett drops to the ground as Lynn suffer defeat at home to Altrincham (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

The diplomatic post-match response from assistant manager Hugo Langton was in contrast, you suspect, to the mood in the dressing room, the door to which was firmly closed for some time after the final whistle.

Eastern Daily Press: Assistant manager Hugo Langton, right, and first team Mark Hughes on the touchlineAssistant manager Hugo Langton, right, and first team Mark Hughes on the touchline (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

He said: “Fall from grace - I don’t know. First half we didn’t look like the team we have been in the last couple of games. But second half I know we huffed and puffed but at least we spent the second half of the game trying to score a goal, we just needed a bit more quality and some better decisions in that final third on this particular occasion.

“It’s all swings and roundabouts – we won a game last Saturday, we went to a team (Grimsby) no one gave us a chance to get anything from, people expected us to get walloped on Tuesday night, and that didn’t happen and we have lost today. So, if anything, we are probably two points behind where we would like to have been this week.

“There is still a lot of football to be played, and we will just dust ourselves down, we have got two more home games coming up this week and we have just got to be ready to be at it again Monday in training and then Tuesday when Woking come to town.”

Eastern Daily Press: Tommy Widdrington served the first of his four-match touchline ban and watched the game from the standsTommy Widdrington served the first of his four-match touchline ban and watched the game from the stands (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Manager Tommy Widdrington was banished to the stands for the first of a four-game ban, but anyone within earshot could tell how unhappy he was.

It’s difficult to believe Langton’s mood was any better, but he was adept at putting a brave face on things.

And that’s what Lynn fans need at the moment.

The next instalment of Great Escape: The mini-series comes on Tuesday night at home to Woking. It will be labelled a must-win game and, of course, it is. When that phrase first occurs, it’s when there’s a bit of trouble ahead. It becomes used more regularly when results don’t get any better. We are now at the stage when it need to be written in capital letters, such is the urgency for the need to get points on board. Four in a week will be the requisite from on. The very minimum. But it will need better performances than this one.

Take away that sugar-coated post-match assessment which provides some sort of protective barrier around the dressing room and the conclusion is that this was a performance like some of those pre-Widdrington. In the first half, Lynn were as poor as they have been at The Walks since he walked through the door. In the second they looked nowhere near to blowing Altrincham’s house down. The reliable seven out of 10 players were lacking. But it’s human nature: if they were that good they’d be playing at a higher level, but too many pulled out a stinker at just the wrong time.

And Lynn can’t afford to be. Not now, with the great escape looking like a poor gimmick.

King’s Lynn: P Jones, A Jones, Coulson, Phipps, Barrows, Scott, McGavin (Hargreaves 65), Widdrington (Charles 78), Barrett, Clunan, Linton (Omotayo 54). Subs not used: Dentons, Hickman.
Altrincham: Thompson, Densmore, Moult, Mooney (Mudimu 82), Osborne, Colclough (Marriott 90), Cooper, White, Mullarkey, Hulme, Conn-Clarke (Kosylo 16). Subs not used: Pringle, Leitch-Smith. Goal: Colclough 45
Referee: Scott Simpson
Attendance: 905

Eastern Daily Press: Harry Phipps battles for the ballHarry Phipps battles for the ball (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: Harry Phipps wins a headerHarry Phipps wins a header (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: Joshua Barrett holds off an opponentJoshua Barrett holds off an opponent (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: Malachi Linton keeps the ball under control despite pressure from an Altrincham defenderMalachi Linton keeps the ball under control despite pressure from an Altrincham defender (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: Josh Coulson clears the dangerJosh Coulson clears the danger (Image: Ian Burt Photography)

Eastern Daily Press: Ross Barrows tries to find some room in the Altrincham penalty area - Credit: Ian BurtRoss Barrows tries to find some room in the Altrincham penalty area - Credit: Ian Burt (Image: Ian Burt Photography)