ON Non-League Day, in front of a bumper crowd of 1,571, Altrincham deservedly recorded their second win of the league season. But the home side started nervously after a difficult month which had seen them lose five of their six matches back at the top level of Non-League football.

Twice, the visitors had got through the Alty back line, with only goalkeeper David Parton saving them from falling behind. The hosts also suffered a blow when the influential Nicky Clee was injured and had to be substituted, with less than 15 minutes on the clock.

But, with James Lawrie replacing Clee, gradually Altrincham gained some confidence and, as half time approached, were playing some attractive football. The breakthrough arrived three minutes before the interval when a foul on Kyle Perry gave Alty a freekick.

From forty yards out, Lawrie's freekick was headed firmly goalwards by defender Tom Marshall. Though his effort was blocked, the ball broke for Damian Reeves to score a close-range goal.

The second half was less then three minutes old when Reeves pounced again, scoring his fifth goal of the season. This time the creator was Ryan Crowther. The former Halifax wide man got to the byline, left of goal, before Reeves stretched to poke the ball into the roof of the net at the back post.

Altrincham looked comfortable with their lead until a deep cross from the Dartford right was knocked back into the goalmouth for the Darts'

captain, Elliot Bradbrook, to make it 2-1, with seven minutes remaining.

It would have been an injustice had the visitors equalised but Altrincham held out reasonably comfortably to secure all three points and lift themselves clear of the bottom four. The Robins have a chance to put further distance between themselves and the relegation places when they travel to bottom placed Alfreton Town on Tuesday night, in search of their first away win of the campaign.

Altrincham: Parton, Leather, Marshall, Havern, Griffin, Crowther, S.

Williams, Cavanagh (capt), Clee, Perry, Reeves. Subs: Coburn, Moult, Richman, Lawrie, Gillespie.