Veteran defender Luigi Sala scored the only goal at the Stadio Atleti d'Azzurri after 23 minutes to end on a positive note what has been a traumatic week for the Bergamo club whose president Ivan Ruggeri will formally resign at a board meeting on Monday.

Livorno tried their best to get back on terms but this result means Roberto Donadoni's side are now being sucked into the relegation quagmire themselves.

The visitors from Leghorn started the game well and after seven minutes they almost took the lead when Cristiano Lucarelli shot from the edge of the box only to watch his effort sail over the bar.

However, Atalanta showed that they are made of sterner stuff since Delio Rossi succeeded the sacked Andrea Mandorlini.

After 17 minutes they had the ball in the Livorno goal when Stephen Makinwa's backheel found the net but no-one disputed referee Nicola Rizzoli's decision to chalk it off.

It was Makinwa who created the goal that would eventually decide the match - and a large slice of good luck finally blessed an Atalanta team that has found it in short supply this season.

Makinwa tried to score himself but sliced his shot, however the ball nonetheless found the net via former AC Milan player Sala's head although the Atalanta player knew little about it.

Atalanta could have doubled their lead a minute before the break when Makinwa created another opportunity for himself but he shot wide after being given a chance following a mistake by Livorno goalkeeper Gianmatteo Mareggini.

In the second half Atalanta continued to make the running.

After 51 minutes Marco Motta fired a shot across the face of goal but no-one could get a touch on it.

But after 62 minutes Livorno thought they had equalised when Corrado Colombo found the net only for an offside flag to curtail the celebrations of the man whose goal helped Livorno beat Serie A champions AC Milan last month.

In stoppage-time Livorno came agonisingly close to snatching a point in their survival quest.

Lucarelli won the ball in the air with a typically robust challenge and Corrado latched onto the ball but watched his shot sail over the Atalanta crossbar.

However, few could begrudge the Atalanta fans only their second victory of the season - both have come since Rossi replaced Mandorlini.

However, even Rossi's notable survival skills - he kept Lecce in Serie A on his previous assignment - will be hard pressed to dig his team out of the hole they are in - they are still nine points from safety.

Any euphoria at victory will be shortlived as Ruggeri's resignation on Monday will leave the club without the charismatic man who has given it a prominence its stature has not always deserved.

The prospective new owner - Sicilian Giacomo Randazzo - is an unknown quantity.

Livorno's 13th position looks fairly enviable but Donadoni knows his team are only six points clear of the relegation zone and will consider this three points dropped.

The Leghorn club are playing in Serie A for the first time since 1949-50 and all season long their only objective has been to stay in the division.