PHIL PARKINSON accepts Wrexham won't be at their best every game but he is pleased his players know how to grind results out.

The Reds maintained their National League title challenge with a hard-fought 2-1 win against Altrincham at Moss Lane.

It was a below par first-half performance against mid-table Alty but Parkinson got the response he wanted after the break.

Wrexham were on top and Ollie Palmer put the visitors ahead in the 61st minute with his 15th goal of the season.

Although Altrincham equalised, new signing Eoghan O'Connell - brought in from Charlton Athletic earlier in the week - made it a debut to remember by scoring the winner with five minutes remaining.

It wasn't a classic display but Parkinson got the vital victory he wanted which keeps his side second in the table, three points behind Notts County with two games in hand.

"We got a good first goal from Ollie and then a great strike from them to make it 1-1," said the Reds' boss.

"I am just so pleased the way the lads have responded again.

"You always say about never giving in and fighting till the end.

"At 1-1, I just felt there would be a chance for us somewhere and it was great for big Eoghan to mark his debut with a goal.

"You can't be at your best every week; we'd all love to be but even the top teams in European football just can't be at your best for whatever reasons.

"You have just got to make sure you do enough to win and we did that."

Mid-table Altrincham were the better side in the first half and came close to breaking the deadlock.

But it was a huge improvement after the break by Wrexham and Parkinson hailed the fighting spirit in the ranks to ensure points weren't dropped in the race for automatic promotion.

"We were just off the pace a bit," he added.

"We just didn't deal with the first ball well enough, let things bounce and played short when it was on to go down the sides.

"We never really got enough territorial advantage in their half.

"We had periods where we passed it okay but I just felt we were a bit off it there.

"We said at half-tine, 'come on lads, we need to go up a notch in all aspects of the game'.

"We would love to be at our fluent best and produce performances at the top end of our capabilities every week but sometimes it is not possible for whatever reasons, there are always circumstances which attribute to that.

"But one thing you can never doubt of the boys and the supporters is the fighting spirit we have got in the club."