In an entertaining match in front of more than two and a half thousand spectators, two second-half goals gave Altrincham a deserved win.

Following a goalless first half in which the best chances came in the closing stages as Cardwell misdirected a header for Southend and then Newby was denied on the goal-line at the other end, Altrincham took a 58th minute lead. The goal was a tap-in for Amaluzor after a smart Altrincham move involving Newby on the right.

Southend applied plenty of pressure in search of a leveller but Altrincham added an 88th minute second goal with a clever finish from substitute Donawa after good work from Conn-Clarke.

SCORERS:

• 58 mins: Justin AMALUZOR (ALTRINCHAM 1 Southend United 0)
• 88 mins: Justin DONAWA (ALTRINCHAM 2 Southend United 0)

Isaac Marriott was back from suspension, so Justin Donawa was on the bench and long-term injured duo, Regan Linney and George Wilson, were both named on the bench. Dior Angus started with James Jone named on the bench.

Southend had Harry Taylor suspended but ex-Alty man Dan Mooney was back in their squad after recent absence

However, the shrimpers' Louis Lomas, Callum Powell, Cav Miley and Jason Demetriou remained injured. So, with their transfer embargo still in place, just three players were named on the bench, one of whom was 16 year-old MacDonald.

LINE-UPS:

ALTRINCHAM (Red & white striped shirts, black shorts, red socks): 29. Ethan Ross, 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Jake Cooper, 4. Lewis Baines, 3. Eddy Jones, 6. Elliot Osborne, 8. Isaac Marriott, 11. Justin Amaluzor, 30. Alex Newby, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 14. Dior Angus. Subs: 5. James Jones (c), 9. Regan Linney, 17. Justin Donawa, 19. George Wilson, 28. Gerald Sithole.

SOUTHEND UNITED (All yellow) 25. David Martin, 2. Gus Scott-Morriss, 3. Nathan Ralph, 8. Noor Husin, 6. Ollie Kensdale (c), 7. Jack Bridge, 28. Oli Coker, 18. Wesley Fonguck, 9. Harry Cardwell, 19. Daniel Kanu, 22. Brooklyn Kabongolo. Subs: 14. Jack Wood, 10. Dan Mooney, 27. Beau MacDonald

Two weeks had passed since both clubs had played followed their respective premature exits from the FA Cup and being unable to arrange alternative fixtures. Southend arrived unbeaten in seven league fixtures, whilst ALtrincham were on a run of nine unbeaten National League games.

Almost daily rain, often heavy, had fallen on the pitch for more than a week, but the match was to be played in sunny weather.

The match was preceded by the playing of the last post by a bugler and by a minute's silence to mark Remembrance Day.

In attendnace was former manager Tony Sanders, as well as former Manchester United star Viv Anderson and ex-Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday boss Danny Wilson.

Buoyed by the support of nearly 500 of their own supporters, Southend kicked off towards Golf Road on a rare sunny afternoon. And it was the visitors who enjoyed the better of the opening few minutes before two Southend errors in succession, to Kevin Maher's annoyance, meant that Altrincham gained the first corner of the afternoon from an Angus shot (5 mins).

Although the next few minutes were end to end, it was Altrincham who also earned the second corner of the match through Amaluzor (11 mins).

Next, a long punt upfield by Ross obliged his opposite number Martin to come out of his box to head clear (12 mins). Again, play switched and Bridge got in a shot which was comfortably fielded by Ross (14 mins).

At the other end, the Southend keeper was the next to be involved as a Conn-Clarke through-ball just reached his hands ahead of Amaluzor (16 mins).

A promising move involving Banks and Newby ended with a very disappointing ahot, well of target, from Osborne but Alty were now enjoying more of the possession. However, their next shot, by Conn-Clarke, was again disappointing (23 mins).

Nevertheless, the mercurial Irishman did much better soon afterwards as he forced a good save, to his right, from goalkeeper Martin

When Newby got in a low cross from the right, no team-mate was on hand to convert it (30 mins). Not long afterwards Conn-Clarke, likewise, put a ball across the box from the right and, again, no one was there to turn it into the net (31 mins).

With Alty remaining on top, Eddy Jones prompted a routine save from Martin (37 mins).

Despite the home side's momentum, it was the visitors who should have taken the lead when Bridge cleverly made space to put in a cross from the left. Cardwell rose, unchallenged, but misdirected his header badly wide of the near post to Alty's relief (39 mins).

But two minutes later it was Altrincham who seemed certain to score when Amaluzor advanced on the left and via Angus the ball went across the face of goal to Newby who looked certain to score at the back post. Yet, just feet from the goal-line, a defender made an impressive block (41 mins).

Next Eddy Jones got in a long-range effort which cleared the bar. After two added minutes the interval arrived with the score goalless but both teams had served up an entertaining half as they sought to extend their respective lengthy unbeaten league runs.

Bizarrely the stadium's electronic screen during the interval indicated that Altrincham were facing Kidderminster Harriers and that 0 minutes of the contest had elapsed! It was later to go blank.

After a Southend shot had hit Cooper (50 mins), Conn-Clarke disappointingky lifted an effort over the bar after Amauzor, Marriott and Newby had combined promisingly (51 mins).

Soon Newby drew a save from Martin but, at the other end, it took an even better save by Ross to block Cardwell's effort after he had got himself into a one on one situation. A Southend corner resulted but that came to nothing.

The deadlock was broken in the 58th minute when Alty put together an impressive move in which Conn-Clarke played a key role, before Amaluzor tapped home a ball from his right to make it 1-0.

Southend responded well as Cardwell and Kanu combined, before Ross smothered a low ball from the visitors' left (59 mins).

For the third time in the match, Alty laid a ball across the face of goal which went unconveted (63 mins). An injury to Newby saw Linney return to action after he had missed eleven league games through injury (65 mins).

A Southend corner came to naught before ex-Alty man Mooney replaced Fonguck to some boorish booing for a former Moss Lane hero (69 mins). And the visitors now began to apply some sustained pressure as they looked for an equaliser.

After Baines had cleared a Shrimpers' corner, Donawa came on for Angus which allowed Linney to move up top as the Bermudan took the right-wing role (74 mins).

Ross now had to beat out an effort from Kanu, at the cost of a corner (76 mins). As Alty retained their lead, they brought on James Jones to aid the defence with Amaluzor being the man withdrawn, having put in a good peformance (81 mins).

When Scott-Morriss got past Eddy Jones, his resulting shot was blocked but more pressure yielded a corner for the visitors which was headed clear (82 mins). On the right Mooney was beginning to make an impression for the Shrimpers.

The pressure continued as Kanu headed wide. But Altrincham gained some rekief as Linney earned a corner (86 mins).

Two minutes later Altrincham wrapped up the points as they netted a second goal. It came after Osborne had located Conn-Clarke and he cleverly got the ball forward where the move was finished off by a clever dink past the keeper by Donawa (88 mins).

Six added minutes were decreed during which Marriott was named as Man of the Match. It took a fine save from Ross to keep out a well-struck thirty yarder from Southend before Linney put a chance narrowly wide at the other end.

There was still time for Conn-Clarke to draw a save from Martin (90+5 mins) before the final whistle sounded on an impressive three points for Altrincham which extended their unbeaten league run to ten games and consokidated their fifth position in the table.