CARL Macauley admitted he wanted to consign Witton Albion’s tepid performance during a goalless stalemate with Marine to the bin.

However he urged his players to learn a lesson first.

“It’s one to throw away and be glad to have taken a point from,” he reflected.

“But we should remember what we didn’t do well, particularly in possession.

“We gave the ball away cheaply, and lacked creativity.

“They had better chances, and might have won.”

READ: Witton 0-0 Marine: match report

Witton have failed to score in now in back-to-back matches following a 2-0 defeat at Bamber Bridge on Saturday.

They rarely looked likely to against the Mariners until substitute Delial Brewster was thwarted by goalkeeper Martin Fearon’s smart save.

But Marine, with Ian Johnson in caretaker charge following Tommy Lawson’s resignation at the weekend, restricted them to precious few other chances.

Macauley said: “It threw us a curveball when Tommy left because we knew they’d change things tactically.

“They were more defensive, and shored things up. It worked too.

“We were up against it as a result, and their players wanted to prove something – whether that’s to Ian or other potential candidates watching from the stand – and rolled up their sleeves.”

Macauley admitted he regretted not making changes to a side that has been settled for the first five matches of the season.

One or two of his players are also still recovering from a virus.

“We’re a fit side, but I felt we looked a bit jaded,” he added.

“I think as a management team we have to look at whether it was the right decision not to freshen things up.

“To ask these lads to continue playing at a high tempo all the time is demanding, and there were a couple who probably could have had a breather.”