Altrincham 2 Worcester City 0

RELEGATION is becoming an increasingly bleak prospect for Worcester City as they crashed to a humiliating defeat at rock-bottom Altrincham.

With the hosts cut adrift at the foot of Vanarama National League North this was a game City simply had to win to breathe life into their season.

But after nine seconds the ball was already in their net as Elliott Newby scored quite possibly the fastest goal in the league’s history.

This should have been a wake-up call.

But sleepy City did not respond as they fell further behind on 12 minutes when Chris Lynch benefitted from a defensive mishap.

The alarm bells were now ringing loud and clear around Moss Lane as the men in green looked set to become only the second team to lose to Alty this term.

But apart from a 15-minute spell at the start of the second half Worcester showed no signs of recovery in a lifeless and utterly pitiful performance.

And if it had not been for Ethan Ross pulling off several fine saves it could have been even more embarrassing for the visitors.

The only positive was 19th-placed Gainsborough Trinity lost 1-0 at home to Curzon Ashton, meaning third-from-bottom City remain two points behind their relegation rivals.

But after failing to muster a single shot on target against the league’s basement team it is hard to see where the next goal, let alone the next win, is coming from.

There is no doubt Alty have been improving in recent weeks but no one would have expected the start they made against City.

From the kick-off a long ball was launched towards Nicky Clee who laid it inside to Micah Evans.

The former City winger then beat a flat-footed Jordan Keane before finding Newby who drifted in unmarked and slotted past Ross.

Worcester, playing three at the back, were all over the place defensively as Ross thwarted Simon Richman before the home side got their second.

John Cyrus did well to head the ball into the danger area after getting on the end of Sam Heathcote’s free-kick from the halfway line.

But instead of heading it clear Tom Sharpe bizarrely flicked the ball towards goal for captain Lynch to volley in.

It was turning into a torrid afternoon as James Lawrie twice went close to adding to Alty’s advantage.

Caretaker boss John Snape switched formations and personnel as Chekaine Steele and Jordan Murphy were hauled off at half-time and replaced by defenders James Chambers and Andy Gallinagh.

Midfielder Junior English was even pushed up front alongside an isolated Steven Craig in the second half.

But despite a couple of promising runs from Ebby Nelson-Addy City failed to trouble Alty.

Ross, meanwhile, was keeping his side in it as he got his finger tips to a thunderous strike from Heathcote which looked destined to fly in.

The goalkeeper also palmed away a Cyrus header from point-blank range late on but his efforts could not stop Worcester from extending their winless run to 14 matches and increasing their fears of relegation.