In better conditions, Jacob Bedeau had given Notts County the lead just before the half-hour mark but the hosts hit back as Lucas Weaver and Lewis Banks scored to give Altrincham a 2-1 lead and raise hopes of a 18th league scalp for the Robins in the competition – this time against a side two leagues and 38 places above them.
With the conditions worsening, referee David Rock opted to continue with the tie, with the fog failing to clear and meaning that the cameras often could not even pick up the ball.
That gave BBC commentator Steve Bower the unenviable job of trying to describe the action he could not see.
“I don’t want to worry anyone – we can’t see those dugouts at the moment because of the mist. It is getting heavier,” said Bower after 72 minutes.
Co-commentator Sam Parkin added: “You want a bit of mist otherwise it doesn’t qualify for a giant-killing does it? It’s getting worse, that’s for sure.”
Later, Bower said: “Might be calling for the orange ball shortly, maybe they’re shopping for one. We will try our best to let you know who has got the ball.”
Meanwhile, their radio colleagues were not faring much better.
“I can just about see the bright white numbers on their shirts, but I am struggling to see what is happening on the far side of the pitch,” said BBC Radio Nottingham commentator Adam Hassell.
Former Notts County striker Mark Stallard was also on BBC Radio Nottingham and said: “We’re looking around, and here in the press box no-one knows where the ball is! It’s like a Spot-the-Ball competition.
“I played in the Notts County cup side against Wimbledon when it was abandoned – they equalised in the second half and I didn’t see any of it!”
Stallard later said: “We genuinely cannot see the linesman or the players on the far side. It’s slightly farcical having to commentate for radio listeners.”
Ultimately, with the game going to spot-kicks, a predictably nervy affair followed, with Altrincham missing the target three times – as Aidan Barlow and Sam Taylor missing their kicks while Ed Jones had his penalty saved by James Belshaw – as Notts’ Rosaire Longelo eventually slotted home the decisive kick to send the visitors through.
Those watching at home would have got a slightly different view of proceedings compared with a normal penalty shootout, however, with the BBC camera operators perching themselves behind the goal to at least get a vantage point of what was going on.
At the end of the shootout, Bower concluded that there had been “no fairytale in the fog for National League Altrincham”.