WITTON won’t be able to stay hidden for much longer as they try to sneak in to a play-offs place.

It took a header with time running out, scored by one of the smallest players on the pitch, to see off Stourbridge on Tuesday.

But Albion manager Carl Macauley insists that nobody at Wincham Park is talking about promotion.

Not yet at least.

His side are unbeaten now in their past nine Northern Premier League matches, and are outside of the play-offs places only on goal-difference.

After a scintillating display on Saturday to dispatch Shaw Lane, they demonstrated a more durable side against the Glassboys.

They had no choice.

Gary Hackett’s men side was set up to frustrate and, for 88 minutes, they did exactly that.

However the visitors’ best-laid plans did not envisage conceding in the way they did, with Tom Owens left unattended inside the six-yard box before stooping to meet Paul Williams’ corner with a firm header.

So good was the substitute’s delivery that the midfielder needed only to apply a diversionary touch.

Albion just about deserved their victory.

They had created chances in the first-half, and Steve Tames ought to have scored after Danny McKenna swept a perfectly-weighted pass into his path.

Under pressure from Paul McCone, Witton’s leading goal-scorer shot weakly at goalkeeper Matt Gould.

Before that the home team had enjoyed success from the long throws of Anthony Gardner, making his first league start since before Christmas.

When Rob Hopley flicked on, Owens scooped a shot wide of the target.

McKenna, switched to an unfamiliar role on the right of midfield in the absence of injured Owen Dale, blasted into the side-netting too after Matty Devine’s cross reached him at the far post.

Stourbridge posed a threat only sporadically, although Luke Benbow’s low drive stung the palms of custodian Calvin Hare.

When he was next called into action, it was to tip over the front man’s looping effort after he had combined neatly with Aaron Forde.

Stour’s resistance was more stubborn – and spiky – after the interval, and they collected a string of yellow cards for niggly fouls that halted Albion’s forward progress.

Hopley headed down for Owens, but Aaron Hayden was swift to block the shot that followed.

Gardner got in the way too when Benbow unleashed fierce effort at the other end.

Macauley turned to his bench, sending on Micah Evans and Williams, and it had the desired effect.

The former forced the visitors’ defence to start looking out wide, while the latter twice dissected their backline with an incisive pass.

His next contribution, this time from a corner, made the difference.

Witton | 4-4-2 | Hare (GK), Gardner, Humpreys, Wilson, Devine, McKenna (Williams 81), Owens, Haywood, Foley (Evans 65), Hopley, Tames Subs not used Ryan, Neild (GK) Goal Owens 88 Booked Tames

Stourbridge | 4-3-3 | Gould (GK), Westlake, McCone, Hayden, Birch, Tonks (Carnat 70), Broadhurst, Forde, Gallagher, Benbow, Anderson Subs not used Pierpoint, Shearer, Antonio, Cooke Booked Tonks, Forde, Anderson, Birch (all fouls)

Referee Daniel Hitchell

Attendance 223