Altrincham's penultimate game of the season took them to Kent to face Ebbsfleet United today where they confirmed a place in the play-offs.

After the hosts had come close to taking the lead as Baines cleared superbly off the line from Poleon's effort, the match was stopped by a bad injury to Justin Donawa's left leg (22 mins).

Following treatment, he was stretchered off with a leg brace in place (27 mins). He was replaced by Elliot Newby.

With Ebbsfleet having had the better of things, Altrincham took the lead with their first serious threat. The goal was prompted by Linney's run and, via Amaluzor and a shot from Hancox, the ball came for Newby to slot home (35 mins).

Four minutes later it got even better when Amaluzor burst into the box and was clearly pulled down tpo win a penalty. Regan Linney calmly hit the spot-kick down the middle after Cousins had dived, so it was 2-0 (39 mins). The second half saw Altrincham weather plenty of attacking by Ebbsfleet but the visitors looked dangerous on their very occasional counter-attacks. The visitors were indebted to goalkeeper Ross for several excellent saves which kept the hosts at bay.

SCORERS:

• 35 mins: Alex NEWBY (Ebbsfleet United 0 ALTRINCHAM 1)
• 39 mins: Regan LINNEY (penalty) (Ebbsfleet United 0 ALTRINCHAM 2)

Alty made four changes as Amaluzor, Conn-Clarke, Donawa and Hancox came into the starting eleven, with Newby, Kosylo and Mooney moving to the bench, whilst Wilson was missing, suspended.

The Fleet's only change saw Bilongo and Cundle swap places, the latter moving to the bench and the former starting. Line-up:

EBBSFLEET UNITED (Red shirts, white shorts and socks) 1. Mark Cousins, 4. Josh Wright (c), 9. Rakish Bingham, 14. Dominic Poleon, 17. Toby Edser, 18. Billy Clifford, 22. Ben Chapman, 26. Declan Skura, 27. Bryant Bilongo, 28. Tommy Fogarty, 36. Myles Kenlock. Subs: 7. Omari Sterling-James, 10. Craig Tanner 11. Darren McQueen, 15. Greg Cundle, 16. Franklin Domi.

ALTRINCHAM (All dark blue with yellow sash on shirts): 29. Ethan Ross, 2. Lewis Banks, 15. Jake Cooper, 4. Lewis Baines (c), 3. Eddy Jones, 8. Elliot Osborne, 26. Mitch Hancox, 17. Justin Donawa, 10. Chris Conn-Clarke, 11. Justin Amaluzor, 9. Regan Linney Subs: 14. Dior Angus, 16. Sam Roscoe, 7. Matty Kosylo, 30. Alex Newby, 44. Dan Mooney.

This was Altrincham's eighth fixture in the last ten against a side troubled by relegation fears. Ebbsfleet were not in the bottom four but were not far enough clear to be sure of staying up.

Ebbsfleet were playing their fourth home league game in six fixtures. In midweek the Fleet had lost 3-0 at Solihull but that was their first league defeat in five outings.

Their most recent results had brought a home win against AFC Fylde, draws at Dagenham and at home to Southend, preceded by an excellent 4-2 victory at home to Gateshead.

The hosts had the better of the opening stages although Altrincham did have an early pot at goal by Hancox, making his full debut for Altrincham, but his effort was well off target, over the bar (4 mins)

After Banks had blocked a shot (8 mins), an effort by Edser went comfortably wide (13 mins). The hosts were desperately close to taking the lead midway through the half when a cross came to leading scorer Poleon who, from close range, was only denied by a fine goal-line clearance by Baines (22 mins).

In the build up Donawa was injured after a challenge with Kenlock and the Alty man needed lengthy treatment. It became clear that the injury was serious when a stretcher was summoned and the Bermudan was carried off with a leg-brace applied to his left ankle area (27 mins).

Alex Newby came on to replace the stricken Donawa (27 mins).

Ebbsfleet continued to press with a home shot earning a corner on the half-hour mark.

When Amaluzor was clattered by Clifford, the home player was booked (33 mins).

Soon afterwards Linney advanced up thr left before finding a stretching Amaluzor at the back post. He managed to get the ball to Hancox, whose shot was blocked but fell to Newby who scored from close range to give Alty a lead against the overall tenor of the game (35 mins).

Soon after a poor touch by Cliffrd had denied the Fleet a chance, Altrincham doubled their lead. Amaluzor got past his man only to be hauled down inside the box for a clear spot-kick award. Linney hit the penalty down the middle as Cousins dived in vain. So it was 2-0 (39 mins).

Alty were grateful to goakeeper Ross as he won a one on one with Poleon (41 mins). And, soon afterwards, the Alty keeper was again the hero as he diverted a deflected shot from Clifford over the bar for a corner (44 mins).

Moments later Cooper had to block another home shot.

With seven added minutes under way, Ebbsfleet won a late corner but the interval arrived with Altrincham two goals up.

At the break, Roscoe replaced Amaluzor and Cundle came on for Bilongo. Early on, a Chapman shot was deflected out for a corner (48 mins) as the Fleet applied pressure. It nect took an excellent tackle by Hancox on Edser to halt a dangerous attack (56 mins).

Alty countered well with Conn-Clarke leaving players in his wake as four opponents eventually proved too much for his advance on goal o be successful. Ebbsfleet brought on Tanner for Clifford just before the hour mark and soon a header from Bigham was superbly turned onto the post by Ross (62 mins).

Despite the pressure on them Alty proved a danger on the break and Linney forced a good save from Cousins from a Newby feed (68 mins).

End to end play ensued as now Roscoe did well to block a Bingham shot (68 mins). Kenlock was next to chance his arm but he fired over the bar (74 mins)

Each side made a change with Sterling-James replacing Fogarty for the hosts and Kosylo taking over from Conn-Clarke (75 mins).

With the hosts still on top, a home corner came to nothing (82 mins) but then Linney fed Kosylo whose shot hit the bar but he was flagged offside (84 mins).

Ross was again needed to tip a fine shot from Tanner over the bar, as the game went into added time. In th second added minute Bigham hit the post and Chapman won a corner but Alty held on to secure a third succcesisve clean sheet, their twelfth of the campaign.

Results elsewhere earned Alty a place in the play-offs for the first time at this level.