INJURY-RAVAGED Altrincham managed to pick up a 1-0 victory against Barrow to create some breathing space at the bottom of the Vanarama Premier League.

Ahead of the match leading scorer, Michael Rankine, was ruled out with a back injury but injured duo Shaun Densmore and Nicky Clee were fit enough to return to the squad, albeit only on the substitutes' bench.

So, Damian Reeves started as Altrincham's front man after a season spent largely as a substitute.

And the man who had been Altrincham's leading scorer last season duly scored the only goal of this match.

The visitors, newly promoted back to the national level of non-League, dominated the opening stages of the game and, but for goalkeeper Tim Deasy, a former Barrow player, they would have taken an early lead.

After a torrid 20 minutes, the hosts did get back into the game and, in quick succession, both Reeves and Ryan Crowther went close to converting crosses near the back post.

Barrow keeper Joel Dixon made a fine save from Reeves and Crowther's effort went narrowly wide.

But the Cumbrians twice hit the woodwork before half time, as a fierce shot from Andy Cook and a header from Colin Cowperthwaite thumped against the post and crossbar respectively.

In the opening stages of the second half it was again the Bluebirds who looked the more likely to open the scoring.

But a well constructed passing move by Altrincham, just after the hour mark, produced the goal which broke the deadlock.

The final pass in this move, from James Lawrie, set Reeves running at goal and he calmly slotted the ball past the advancing Dixon.

The visitors made three attacking substitutions but valiant defending by Altrincham kept their goal intact for the second successive game.

Despite picking up seven points this week, Altrincham remain in 19th place but are now six points clear of the team below them. Altrincham's next game, on Tuesday (7.45pm) is again at home, when FC Halifax Town are the visitors.

The Yorkshiremen will be looking to impress their new manager following a 7-1 home defeat on Saturday.

ALTRINCHAM: Deasy, Leather, Havern (capt), Parry, Griffin, Sinnott (Densmore 74), Richman, Moult, Crowther (Clee 77), Lawrie, Reeves (Bowerman 71). Unused subs: Heathcote, O'Keefe