Altrincham 2 Stafford Rangers 0

Stafford Rangers really had to win this ‘six-pointer’ against struggling Altrincham but tamely went down to a first-half brace from Colin Little.

The defeat leaves Steve Bull’s side 14 points from safety with a maximum of 27 points available from nine remaining games.

Bull made a couple of enforced changes with senior players Neil Grayson and Kevin Street both out injured. Marco Adaggio and Ross Draper were recalled to the starting line-up.

Altrincham could have twice taken the lead inside the first two minutes.

The game had barely got going when Danny Alcock pulled off a fine save to parry Joe O’Neill’s rising drive while O’Neill also missed the target from just six yards out.

Adaggio forced a near post save from Stuart Coburn and Chris Flynn saw another shot deflected over as Rangers went close.

All season Stafford have struggled against set-pieces and were undone in the 14th minute from Ryan Shotton’s long throw into the area.

Wayne Daniel attempted to clear but presented Little with a header which the striker sent past Alcock.

Djoumin Sangare got in the way of a well-struck shot from Little before Rangers briefly threatened to level.

Sangare’s volley hit team-mate Daniel inside the Altrincham area and Adaggio fired wide after good work by Nick Wellecombe.

But Rangers fell further behind in the 41st minute when O’Neill played the ball to Little who fired home unchallenged from six yards.

Bull shuffled his side for the start of the season half with the introduction of midfielders Seb Arnolin and Samy Mawene. They replaced Richie Sutton and Steve Hopkinson with Alex Gibson moving to right back in a 4-4-2 formation.

Alcock blocked a low drive from Warren Peyton and then gathered up a long-range effort from O’Neill as the home side kept up the attack.

They went even closer just before the hour mark when O’Neill beat Alcock from 25 yard out, only to see shot rebound off the bar.

The introduction of Nathan Smith in place of the ineffective Matt Hazley gave Stafford a three-pronged attack and they started to apply some sustained pressure.

Smith drove through a crowded area straight at Coburn and had another shot deflected wide for a corner.

Altrincham survived and, in the end, comfortably preserved their two-goal advantage to put Stafford even deeper in the relegation mire.

Altrincham (4-4-2): Coburn, Shotton, Tinson, Young, Lynch, Lawton, Peyton, King (Owen, 33), Little, Senior (Lane, 86), O’Neill (Scott, 66). Unused subs: Aspinall, Sedgemore.

Rangers (3-5-2): Alcock, Daniel, Sangare, Sutton (Mawene, ht), Gibson, Hopkinson (Arnolin, ht), Flynn, Draper, Hazley (Smith, 68), Adaggio, Wellecombe. Unused subs: Reid, Allen.

Referee: D. Richardson. Attendance: 1,135.