A RECOVERY from a losing position to beat Rushall represents how resilient this Witton team has become under Tony Sullivan.

They did the same at Frickley, a catalyst for a sequence of three wins from four matches that has propelled them to their highest position in the table since late September.

Albion, sluggish in the first half, were sprightly in the second.

Too much so for the Pics who, perhaps surprised by their opponents’ transformation, could not cope with the contrast.

With six matches left, Witton are within two points of their survival target.

They are also five from a position in the table’s top half.

“The job isn’t finished, not yet,” said Sullivan afterwards.

“Nobody is relaxing, least of all me.”

His side can at least travel to play-offs hopefuls Ashton United this weekend with less pressure than previously.

They do so buoyed by a second-half performance that gathered momentum from the moment Zac Corbett despatched an emphatic header past Rushall goalkeeper Ryan Price from Joe Shaw’s corner.

One of the first to congratulate him was skipper John Shaw, whose uncharacteristic mistake had gifted to Aaron Williams an opening goal before the break.

Witton took the lead after an hour, when Alex Titchiner’s shot deviated low inside an upright off Jack Duggan after Danny Andrews and Jamie Rainford had traded passes in the build-up.

Titchiner, more than anybody else, demonstrated the confidence flowing through a team that has collected more points in the past half-dozen league games than title favourites FC United of Manchester.

Chest puffed out and shoulders arched back, he did not relent in tormenting Rushall’s back-markers.

Rainford sliced wide after Jon Dawson’s dribble ended with an assist from the goal-line, then Price reacted smartly to tip over Jake Parker’s header from substitute Michael Simpson’s cross.

When Duggan dumped Andrews to the floor 25 yards from goal with five minutes left, he had erred more than he probably realised.

Albion’s wide-man inflicted further punishment with a perfectly-placed free kick into the top corner to increase his goals tally for the season to 15.

Rushall rallied, but too late.

Williams’ header hit an upright before substitute Alex Melbourne – helped by a deflection – fired in from the edge of the penalty area after Witton failed to clear a corner.

Earlier, their tepid start gave no clue as to what would follow.

Rushall, positive from the outset, deserved a lead established by Williams’s tidy finish after John Shaw failed to connect with a header back towards goalkeeper Andy Robertson.

Titchiner’s shot off-target aside the hosts, suffering in the absence of injured midfield duo Luke Clark and Tom Schofield, were invisible in attack.

They did not make the same mistake again.

Witton (3-5-2) Robertson (GK), Barnes, Goulding, John Shaw, Andrews, Corbett, Parker, Joe Shaw (Simpson 70), Dawson, Rainford (Molina 83), Titchiner Subs not used Swift (GK), Clark, Schofield Goals Corbett 53, Titchiner 60, Andrews 85

Rushall (4-5-1) Price (GK), Christoporu (Heath 19), Duggan, Caines, Leslie, Austin, Townsend, Sinton (Reid 65), Taylor, Webb (Melbourne 59), Aaron Williams Subs not used Palmer, Calllum Williams Goals Aaron Williams 34, Melbourne 90 (+5) Booked Taylor, Duggan (both fouls)

Referee Philip McDermott

Attendance 261