JUST as it was going so well for Carl Macauley and Witton Albion they stumble.

That Lee Hughes, at the age of 41, sent them sprawling with a stoppage-time winner is a source of some discomfort.

However the manager’s grimace got worse when the results from other games played in the Northern Premier League’s top-flight on Tuesday were read to him after the final whistle.

He knows this was a missed opportunity.

There will be others – the Premier Division continues to be unpredictable – but entering Easter already occupying a promotion play-offs place would have been a boost for tired minds.

The legs lacked energy too in a performance that spluttered with fits and starts.

It appeared that would be enough when Steve Tames stroked in a penalty shortly after the interval to make it 2-1 to Witton after referee Chris Porter spotted a trip on Nick Ryan.

They were in control, even if unconvincingly, and Halesowen had offered next to nothing in attack.

Even the visitors’ first-half equaliser was scored for them by Ryan, who diverted Ali Ahmed’s drilled cross into his own net.

However a decision by Halesowen boss John Hill to introduce Hughes, who he recruited a fortnight ago after the veteran front man stood down as joint-manager at Worcester, changed the game.

His mere presence had an unsettling effect, and he twisted one way and then another on 76 minutes to confuse Michael Wilson.

A shot against the crossbar followed, and an alert Ahmed buried the rebound while Albion’s defenders dithered.

The visitors, happy at the prospect of a draw, were delirious when Witton gifted to them a decisive goal in the third minute of injury time.

Wilson was not under pressure when he tried to guide a ball back to goalkeeper Calvin Hare, but a weak connection acted as an invite for Hughes.

He pounced, and slotted a cool finish between the legs of the hosts’ stranded custodian.

Wilson held his head in his hands.

There was little sign of the pain that would follow later when Witton made a promising start.

They attacked with verve down both flanks, with full-backs Anthony Gardner and Matty Devine prominent, although with little end product.

That changed on 17 minutes when James Foley slipped a pass to Will Jones, who squared for Rob Hopley to stab in an opener.

They survived a scare at the other end when Lee Knight forced an instinctive parry from Hare, but he was helpless to prevent Ryan from netting an own goal.

Albion steadied themselves again after a wobble, and Devine’s drive swerved wide.

They had momentum at the start of the second-half too, and Halesowen number one Daniel Platt smothered bravely to thwart Jones after Tom Owens had sent him clear.

He intervened again to save Devine’s shot, and a defender blocked Hopley’s attempt to convert the rebound.

Tames’ spot-kick followed before Hughes arrived to trip Albion up.

Witton | 4-4-2 | Hare (GK), Gardner (Humphreys 86), Wilson, Ryan, Devine, Tames, Haywood, Owens, Foley, Hopley, Jones (Evans 90) Subs not used McKenna, Cesaire, Neild (GK) Goals Hopley 17, Tames 56 (penalty) Booked Haywood (foul)

Halesowen | 4-5-1 | Platt (GK), Ekongo, Morrison, Charlton, Kelly, Bragoli, Poscha, Lawton (Agbor 67), Ahmed, de Veiga Monteiro, Knight (Hughes 67) Subs not used Lewis, Arnold Goals Ryan 27 (own goal), Ahmed 76, Hughes 90 (+3) Booked Charlton (foul)

Referee Chris Porter

Attendance 247