IN their five previous visits to Moss Lane, Tamworth had never scored a goal.

But two strikes in an eight-minute period by Louis Briscoe ensured the record no longer stood as the Lambs ran out 2-1 winners.

Altrincham started the game nine points from safety in the league but, last time out, had put in an encouraging performance at Alfreton.

However, manager Jim Harvey was once again forced into making changes as defenders Sam Patterson and John Cyrus were out due to illness. He also opted to swap goalkeepers, with Tim Deasy returning to the starting team.

Midfielder Simon Richman had to play at right-back and, before half time, there had to be a further change as another midfielder, Greg Wilkinson, went off injured.

Briscoe’s opening goal, 20 minutes in, saw him waltz past two or three weak challenges before shooting past Deasy.

His second owed something to a fortunate rebound from an Alty defender.

Nevertheless, James Lawrie got Altrincham back in the game, just four minutes later. He fired home an excellent shot from the edge of the box after a Wilkinson free kick had struck the defensive wall.

Altrincham made a decent effort to get an equalizer in the second half but, with keeper Belshaw in assured form at one end and striker Newton a recurrent threat at the other, the visitors did not allow their hosts to take anything from the match.

While Tamworth stretched their unbeaten league run to seven, it is now 10 home league games without a win for the Robins.

ALTRINCHAM: Deasy, Richman, Hannigan, Goodall, McAndrews, Moult, Lawrie, Lenighan, Wilkinson, Moult (capt), Reeves. Subs: Dawber, Hobson, Marsh, McDonald and Morrison-Derbyshire.