Two points dropped?

‘You can’t win ‘em all,’ perfectly sums up Carl Macauley’s mood after the final whistle.

Albion, understandably after establishing a two-goal lead by the break, will feel less satisfied with a draw – more so after conceding an equaliser in the third minute of added time.

A bounty of 10 points from probably their most testing sequence of matches this season in a 10-day period, while remembering that three of those fixtures were on the road, represents a job well done.

“We should keep our chins up – three wins and a draw from these past four games is a great return,” reflected Witton’s manager afterwards.

His side have inched clear of AFC Rushden & Diamonds to sit third in the Northern Premier League’s Division One South.

No Roberts, some party

Witton kept quiet the precarious nature of goalkeeper Danny Roberts’ fitness after he suffered an injury in a 2-1 win at Basford on Saturday.

The 27-year-old missed a league game for the first time this term after failing a pre-match test, leaving Italian Cesare Vernazza – signed earlier in the day – to make his debut.

After finishing last season with Burnham, in the Southern League, he started the current campaign with Dunstable a level higher.

He had not met his teammates before kick off, nor did he know their names, but a safety-first approach left defenders in front of him feeling assured.

A instinctive save, with his left boot, to divert Harry Clayton’s penalty was highlight, although similarly impressive was another block with his leg to thwart Anthony Malbon moments later.

In praise of Tom Owens

With Paul Williams unavailable because of work commitments, Owens formed a midfield tandem with Prince Haywood, switched inside rom the right.

His energy, work-rate and willingness to drive forward has been highlighted previously this season, but the 22-year-old can play too.

A clipped pass into space for Steven Tames, who then squared for Rob Hopley to steer Witton into a first-half lead, was perfectly-executed.

The former Marine man cut open Kidsgrove’s defence a second time after the interval with a slide-rule assist that sent Hopley clear late on.

However a stunning stop by goalkeeper Chris Martin prevented Albion’s leading scorer from making it 3-1.

Required to take on responsibility in the absence of his regular partner, Owens did so by putting in one of his best individual performances so far.

Northwich Guardian:

Tom Owens, pictured in action earlier this season, excelled in midfield for Witton Albion in a draw at Kidsgrove on Wednesday night

Conceding late, is it a thing?

The fact that Carlton and Market Drayton have both scored goals in stoppage time to beat Witton in league games this season, allied to Kidsgrove snatching a late leveller, perhaps makes it feel as much.

Only leaders Shaw Lane have conceded fewer goals than Albion in the Northern Premier League’s Division One South to date, and Carl Macauley’s men have shut out their opponents in a third of their 21 fixtures.

A total of half-a-dozen goals have been scored against them in the final quarter of an hour – more than in any other 15-minute slot.

However it hasn’t cost them points on any other occasion than the three mentioned above.

Witton have conceded six times too between 60 and 75 minutes, taking to 12 the total they’ve shipped in the final half-hour of games.

That’s more than 50 per cent.

Northwich Guardian:

Graphic shows when Witton Albion have conceded goals during their 21 Northern Premier League fixtures up to and including February 1, 2017

Kidsgrove; a team kicking on

Put simply, Kidsgrove are improving rapidly.

Ryan Austin’s side are unbeaten now in six league games, winning half of them.

They have risen from 16th place to ninth in that run.

Worthy draws with Leek, Spalding and now Witton represent an impressive return – that’s before a mention of a brilliant 5-2 success at AFC Rushden & Diamonds that ended a 19-match unbeaten run for their hosts.

And before last night, Grove had won four of their previous five fixtures in front of their own supporters.

They are more steely than previously, but showed tactical dexterity to switch from a 3-5-2 – which Albion had countered excellently in the opening half an hour – to a 4-4-2 that enabled them to change the course of the contest.

To absorb the blow of missing a penalty and still recover to earn draw deserves credit.