WITTON Albion may have suffered a setback at Bamber Bridge on Saturday but manager Carl Macauley wasn’t in the mood to be critical afterwards.

Brig made sure of maximum points, and with it protected an unbeaten start to a new season in the Northern Premier League’s top-flight, by scoring twice before the break.

They protected that lead for the remainder.

“That spell of 10 minutes has decided the outcome,” admitted Macauley.

“It was tough for us, and we had to do something or risk falling further behind.

“I felt we were stronger from that moment on and created chances to get back into the game.

“We needed to score to put pressure on them, and they invited us to attack by sitting deeper, but you have hold up your hands and say they defended solidly.”

James Foley went closest to reopening the contest, sending one attempt against the crossbar and seeing another diverted smartly to safety by goalkeeper Lloyd Rigby’s fingertips.

Will Jones had an effort smuggled off the line and Brig captain Matt Lawlor hooked another clear from underneath his own crossbar when Foley headed a Danny McKenna cross towards a waiting Rob Hopley.

Macauley said: “They blocked shots, and put their bodies in the way – and we just didn’t get a bit of luck that we maybe needed.

“We can do better, it’s important to acknowledge that, but I still saw a performance that was honest and had plenty of effort.

“I don’t feel the need to rant and rave because we’ve lost a game; we had opportunities, and it’s on occasions when we don’t look like scoring that we have a problem.”