YORK City suffered their first defeat in 27 games as they were beaten 1-0 by Altrincham in the first round of the FA Cup.

At Bootham Crescent, Tom Peers' drive from inside the area was the difference after Andy Bond missed a second-half penalty.

It was an entertaining enough first half, but clear-cut chances were few and far between, and composure lacking in a few forward areas. On balance, goalless at the break was a fair reflection of the game.

The composure in front of goal did not make much of an appearance in the second period, Bond's penalty a case in point. Soft and low, Thompson saved relatively comfortably, and Bond could not bury the rebound.

Peers' was the clearest of the sides' chances - and he buried it with aplomb.

City made a late push but it is Altrincham through to the next round.

Altrincham boss Phil Parkinson made just one change to the side that drew 2-2 at King’s Lynn Town last week, with second-half substitute Yusifu Ceesay earning himself a start in place of Jordan Hulme.

In goal was Tony Thompson, who has kept three clean sheets this term, two of which have come in the Cup. James Jones – who scored at both ends in City’s 3-1 season-opener at Moss Lane – started alongside Everton Academy product Shaun Densmore, who is the longest-serving player on Alty’s books.

Steve Watson was able again to name a strong starting 11, to which his only change from the Kidderminster Harriers draw was Kieran Green in place of Jordan Burrow. Andy Bond and Dan Maguire both recovered from minor niggles.

Altrincham looked up for the tie and were at City from the off, looking lively on their incursions into the attacking third.

The first real effort fell to York, but it was not from a clear sight of goal as Maguire had a snapshot from blocked from Kallum Griffiths’ neat ball into the box. Steve McNulty blocked an effort from Ceesay at the other end.

Peter Jameson had to make a brave early block at the feet of Tom Peers, who had beaten the offside trap to get beyond McNulty. The captain calmly cleared.

Neat interplay with Alex Kempster – who showed good strength to hold off his man – had David Ferguson racing away down the left but he was confidently blocked by Densmore. Johnson then saw Jameson off his line but his shot from just over the halfway line drifted wide before a couple of Altrincham corners yielded some aerial pinball.

Often heralded for his composure on the ball, McNulty showed patience in the backline before releasing Griffiths with an incisive ball. His cross was cleared for a corner and, from the second such set piece, Joe Tait shaped up nicely at a difficult angle as the ball squeezed into the area but curled high and wide.

As the half wore on, Altrincham’s pure attacking verve faded and York began to look more in control, though the visitors still posed a threat. Densmore was causing trouble down City’s left and managed to force another ball into the area, but it was again cleared.

York went the closest yet midway through the half. Jones was cautioned for a tackle on Kempster on the edge of the area. Sean Newton rattled the crossbar with a powerful left-footed free kick and Green fired over from the follow-up.

Green maybe could have done better with a header when running into the area unmarked to get on the end of Griffiths’ corner kick.

Adriano Moke picked up a yellow card for an intentional handball with a minute to go until half-time.

York hearts were in mouths eight minutes after the restart when a Tom Peers header grazed the crossbar with Jameson beaten – only for the offside flag to be raised.

Straight up the other end, Maguire won a penalty when, moving away from goal, Thompson foolishly tripped him. The keeper made amends by saving Andy Bond’s spot kick, before Bond then struck the crossbar with the follow-up and a Green overhead kick was blocked.

The travelling fans were certainly galvanised by this, and it briefly translated onto the pitch.

Ferguson had to make a necessary intervention in his own area to get between John Johnson and a whipped ball to the back post. Jameson made a comfortable save from a 20-yard free kick while McNulty used his strength and experience to shepherd second-half substitute Hulme – on for Ceesay – off the ball for Jameson to scoop up.

Altrincham took the lead with eight minutes remaining through Peers. A York counter-attack was broken down on the halfway line and the ball was played out to Hulme on the left. With the York centre-backs in disarray and space between McNulty and the backtracking Newton, Peers was able to drive home.

Jameson went up for late corners as City, roared on by the home support, pushed for the equaliser.

York: Jameson 7, Griffiths 8 (Langstaff 83), Tait 7, McNulty 7, Newton 7, Ferguson 7, Moke 7, Bond 7, Green 7 (Burrow 7 59), Maguire 8 (Durrell 77), Kempster 6. Subs not used: Whitley, Spratt, King, McLaughlin.

Yellow cards: Moke, McNulty

Star man: Sean Newton. Did not do a whole lot wrong defensively, showed good attacking intent and came ever-so close to a great free kick goal.

Atrincham: Thompson, Densmore, White, Jones, Hannigan, Moult, Johnson (Hampson 90), Williams, Peers, Hancock, Ceesay (Hulme 67). Subs not used: Harrop, Richman, Hulme, Mullarkey, Hampson, Torrance.

Yellow cards: Jones

Referee: James Bell

Attendance: 3,222 (354 away supporters)