A HECTIC schedule, made busier by postponements, has not halted their momentum.

Nor did a meeting with the league leaders.

Witton Albion have simply kept on winning, most recently on a trek to AFC Rushden & Diamonds in midweek.

So have Shaw Lane, and a distance between rivals for the Northern Premier League’s Division One South title remains at nine points going into the weekend.

A reason to be dispirited?

“It’s affecting me more than them,” replied Carl Macauley, Witton’s manager, when asked if his players were feeling weary yet from playing catch-up.

“They’re not phased at all.

“It would have been easy to feel frustrated getting back onto the bus before coming home on Tuesday and seeing that Shaw Lane picked up another three points.

“We’ve done incredibly well just to get back on terms considering how far behind we were.

“But these lads are focused on what they’re doing; they’ll be gutted if Shaw Lane do drop points and they haven’t done all they can in our games.”

Albion make their longest, and arguably most testing, trip of the campaign when they head to Spalding tomorrow.

The Tulips sit third in the table, three points adrift of their guests this weekend.

A first meeting between the teams had been scheduled last Saturday, only for the game at Wincham Park to be postponed following an morning pitch inspection.

Macauley told the Guardian his side hit the road buoyed by registering one of their best victories to date at Rushden.

He said: “They tested us; they were direct, and hit plenty of balls into our penalty area.

“We tried to play at a high tempo, as we always do, but they were the better side until we took the lead.

“I felt we defended well, and we got gradually stronger as the game went on.”

Steven Tames’ goal established an interval lead before the contest turned inside a minute of action at both ends.

Taylor Orosz’s attempt struck an upright for the hosts, then Rob Hopley doubled Witton’s lead from their next foray forward.

The front man hammered in his 21st goal of the campaign from Anthony Gardner’s cross, settling the outcome.

Macauley said: “It was a great move, one straight from the training ground.

“We jumped from the bench because it was something we’ve been working on and it came off in a game situation.”

Albion, unbeaten now in their past 11 league matches, know they will need to be at their best again to see off Spalding tomorrow afternoon, kick off 3pm.

The hosts are without Nathan Spafford and Nathan Whitehead, both suspended, but will provide a formidable test.

They have lost only once at home since mid-November, and that was against Shaw Lane two months ago.

“We’re expecting a really difficult game,” admitted Macauley.

“They’ll put us under pressure, just like Rushden did, and we’ll have to stay strong again in defence.

“If we do, then we’ve a chance of winning the game because of our attacking ability.”