ALTRINCHAM moved to the top of the Evo-Stik Premier with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over a Halesowen side which had won its last two matches to lift itself off the bottom of the table.

Fielding the same starting XI that had drawn at Whitby in midweek, Altrincham played neat but unproductive football in a first half that ended goalless.

But it took fewer than 45 seconds after the interval for Altrincham to break the deadlock.

Joel Bembo-Leta and Simon Richman advanced up the right before the ball was played into Jordan Hulme and his clever flick let in Josh Hancock to drive the ball home.

Altrincham then had the better of the game and, nine minutes later, they won a penalty when Hulme won a 50-50 ball and was upended just inside the right side of the box.

John Johnston converted the penalty comfortably to double the Robins' lead.

But Halesowen were unfortunate to get no reward when, first Dan Udoh, and then Oliver Finney, prompted fine saves from Tony Thompson in the Altrincham goal.

Alty wrapped up the game in the 82nd minute when Hancock played in James Poole who calmly beat the keeper to seal the points.

Altrincham face a vital top-of-the-table clash with second-placed Warrington Town on Saturday at Cantilever Park (3pm).

ALTRINCHAM: Thompson, Bembo-Leta, Short, Hannigan, Harrison, Moult, Johnston, Richman, Hulme, Poole, Hancock. Subs: Sheridan, Peers, Miller, Densmore, Jones.