Ebbsfleet United 2 Altrincham 0

Goals from Chris McPhee and Stacy Long ensured Ebbsfleet United secured a 2-0 win over Altrincham at Stonebridge Road in the Blue Square Premier on Saturday.

Both teams struggled to get going in a poor first half with Fleet registering their first effort on goal after 20 minutes when Neil Barrett flashed a shot wide of the post.

The home side should have taken the lead just a minute later when McPhee's glancing header from a Michael Bostwick cross finished just wide of the target.

Ebbsfleet opened the scoring after 40 minutes when McPhee latched onto a pass from Bostwick, before cutting inside and firing the ball into the bottom left corner.

In the second half, Fleet went close to increasing their lead in the 50th minute when John Akinde got on the end of a Lance Cronin goal kick, but his attempted lob was gathered by Altrincham keeper Stuart Coburn.

Liam Daish's side continued to push forward in search of a second goal and it came on 53 minutes when Akinde latched onto a poor back pass from Warren Peyton.

After cutting in from the right Akinde's weak shot was blocked but the rebound came back out to Long who fired the loose ball into the top right corner.

Altrincham were left cursing their luck on 65 minutes when Greg Young's header from a Peyton cross appeared to be heading for the top left corner, before Cronin dived to his right to push the ball round the post.

Ebbsfleet comfortably held out for the three points leaving Altrincham one step closer to relegation.

Ebbsfleet: Cronin, Smith, McCarthy, Charles, Hawkins, McPhee, Bostwick, Barrett (Hearn 63), Long (Purcell 88), Moore, Akinde (Eribenne 63).

Subs not used: Mott, MacDonald, Purcell.

Attendance: 911.