THREE Altrincham goals in the space of 14 minutes either side of half time sent Boro crashing to their fourth consecutive league defeat at Stainton Park on Tuesday evening.

Yet it could have been all so different had Kevin Glendon's side taken advantage of their territorial advantage in the first half hour.

Altrincham sat a point behind Boro in the UniBond Premier League table before the game and in the opening minutes they must have feared that gap would widen as the local side created numerous useful openings.

In a fast and furious start, right back Richard Battersby and stiker Chris Denham combined well to cause consternation in the Altrincham defence while Jodie Banim was unlucky to see an angled drive fizz across the face of goal.

Boro had the ball in the net after 18 minutes but Niell Hardy's superb volleyed effort was chalked off for offside.

Denham and Banim's direct running continued to give the visiting defence headaches and when Mark Maddox brought down the latter on the edge of the box man-of-the-match Karl Marginson brought a flying save out of Altrincham keeper Ben Williams from the subsequent free kick.

Minutes later Boro paid the price for not ramming home their advantage when the visitors opened the scoring with a fine goal.

Last season's leading marksman for the Moss Lane side, Rod Thornley was the scorer, turning well just outside the box before advancing to crack a fine effort past Danny Hurst.

The effort may have had Boro boss Glendon cursing but it brought a smile to the face of his daughter Natalie who had the winning golden goal ticket!

A one goal deficit would have given Glendon the chance of turning things round at the interval but crucially his men conceded a second goal in first half stoppage time.

Altrincham's Ian Craney was the architect, drilling a ball into the box from the goalline that Hurst could only parry and former Bury winger Barry Shuttleworth bundled over the line.

Any hopes of a second half revival were sunk without trace four minutes after the restart when slack marking allowed David Gardner to convert a third and effectively seal the game.

To their credit Boro continued to take the game to the visitors but they were restricted to long range efforts few of which unduly troubled Williams.

But there was nothing Williams - on loan from Manchester United - could do about Banim's superbly taken consolation goal which he expertly despatched in the 90th minute.

BORO: Hurst, Battersby, Whealing, Kelly, Kuker, Denham, Marginson, Carden, Hardy, Banim, Price. Subs: Spencer, Sampson, Landon.

ATTENDANCE: 423