AFTER the high came a crushing low for underdogs Witton.

A glimpse of glory given to them, deservedly, by Alex Titchiner’s opener gave way to a grimace from the moment Josh Hancock flicked a kick at Barrow man Richard Owen while he lay on the floor.

Reduced to ten men, Albion’s FA Cup dream was cursed by a brilliant Adam Boyes.

His four-goals haul, all netted with Witton a man down, gives the final score a sheen that serves only to cover up just how close the two teams had been matched for an hour.

Albion, unable to play with the fluidity that had flavoured their 12-matches winning sequence, still showed a fight that served to frustrate their higher-ranked guests.

Having swept aside opponents of loftier status already, the hosts had reason to believe they had a chance.

Possible became probable when Titchiner, served by Hancock’s measured pass, rifled a rising shot beyond Barrow keeper Danny Hurst ten minutes into the second half.

It arrived in the midst of the Bluebirds’ best spell.

Subdued before the break, the visitors had awoken after Phil Bolland’s close range prod had been chalked off for offside.

First Jack Mackreth’s glide towards goal forced Witton net-minder Matt Cooper to save smartly, then Bolland thumped a free header straight at Albion’s custodian from the resulting corner.

Titchiner’s goal, his 15th of the season, was a taster for another twist on the hour.

Hancock tangled with Owen after the pair had put in a foot to win a loose ball, the Witton winger sneaking a swipe at his opponent in the aftermath.

Referee Richard Wigglesworth’s sanction was to show a red card.

If Witton harboured a hope that they might keep out their Blue Square Bet Premier foes a man down, then it was gone six minutes later.

That was probably predictable against a team playing three divisions higher.

Boyes, until then kept quiet by birthday boy Ben Harrison, restored parity when he slammed in a shot from close range after Bolland had headed down Richard Baker’s corner.

Barrow led on 77 minutes.

Baker swapped passes with Barrow’s goalscorer before rattling an upright with a low drive, but Paul Smith’s centre was steered in by Boyes with a perfectly-placed header from the resulting loose ball.

Worse was to follow for Witton.

Substitute Louis Almond blazed over after Paul Rutherford had wriggled past Anthony Gardner on the touchline before Boyes bagged his hat-trick.

Served again by Baker, he swept an arcing shot into the far corner with nonchalance.

A fourth, in stoppage time, followed.

It flattered Barrow – an admission made by manager Dave Bayliss afterwards – as much as it forced Witton to wonder what might have been.

Witton Star Man Ben Harrison. Albion’s birthday boy saved his best performance of the season to date for the club’s big day.

The 21-year-old coped in an assured, unflustered way with Barrow front pair Adam Boyes and Andy Cook, forming a barrier with Paul Booth that the Bluebirds found impossible to penetrate for the contest’s first hour.

A cruel irony then that the result suggests a different reality to the one that played out on the pitch.

Witton (4-4-2) Cooper (GK), Gardner, Ben Harrison, Booth (Moseley 81), Wood, Andrews, Sheehan, Clampitt (Ennion 90), Hancock, Titchiner, Newman (Jamie Harrison 65)
Subs not used Glover, Pritchard, Schofield, Woolley
Goal Titchiner 55
Red card Hancock (retaliation)

Barrow (4-4-2) Hurst (GK), Smith, Pearson, Bolland, Skelton, Mackreth (Lomax 90), Baker (Ferrell 90), Owen, Rutherford, Cook (Almond 60), Boyes
Subs not used Clancy (GK), Nicholas, Sheridan
Goal Boyes 66, 77, 88, 90 (+1)
Booked Cook (foul), Baker (dissent)

Referee Richard Wigglesworth (Doncaster)
Attendance 860