FOR Brian Pritchard and his Witton Albion players, there can be succour in a stalemate.

After back-to-back defeats, including their biggest beating of the season so far last time out, they raided reserves of resilience to pick up a point.

In truth, the visitors’ performance was worthy of heftier reward.

On their previous visit to the Meres, Albion scored twice inside eight minutes en route to a comfortable 3-1 win.

They ought to have repeated the trick; debutant Adam Parkhouse’s cute attempt hit an upright, while Danny Andrews dragged off target with only Grantham’s goalkeeper as an obstacle to goal.

In that opening was a clip of Albion’s campaign; setting aside five-goal drubbings of whipping boys Droylsden and Stafford, they have scored 19 goals in their 16 other league games.

There was profligacy later too.

So grim were Grantham during the early exchanges, half an hour had passed before Ashley Burbeary flashed a drive from distance inches past a post.

They at least managed to make it more difficult for Witton to find a shooting space by then, though relief was still theirs when the whistle blew for half time.

The Gingerbreads improved afterwards, almost sneaking in front when Paul Lister helped Emeka Nwadike’s cross against the woodwork after Albion failed to clear a corner.

Within a minute, Neville Thompson headed too high at the other end after meeting Jonathan Breeze’s perfectly-placed centre.

When the former cut inside from the right before sending a blasted effort towards goal that Haystead saved smartly low to his left, it felt as if Albion would assume control again.

But with Burbeary a growing threat, particularly delivering set pieces, that ascendancy felt more tenuous.

Grantham’s wide man fired off target after swapping passes with Michael Towey, though Witton remained incisive.

Andrews split the hosts’ defence on 70 minutes, picking out Michael Powell’s blind side run, but the midfielder clipped wide from an acute angle.

Albion were lucky such wastefulness went unpunished, for which they thanked custodian Matt Cooper when he reacted instinctively to thwart Jamie Jackson and then substitute Jamie McGhee in successive attacks.

Another replacement, Adie Hawes, headed narrowly wide on the stretch when Burbeary bent in another fine free kick shortly afterwards.

Powell hooked a beautifully-improvised shot against the crossbar, followed by a frantic 60 seconds when both sides again spurned chances.

First, McGhee fired too close to Cooper when they came face-to-face, then Parkhouse did the same at the other end when one-on-one with Grantham net-minder Dan Haystead after Andrews rolled the ball into his path.

He was alert in stoppage time too, parrying Powell’s volley.

“That was a big improvement, so I’m pleased,” said Pritchard afterwards.

“The lads had to dig in at the start of the second half, but they showed a desire to do so which is encouraging.”

So too is Witton’s record in these parts; only once now have they lost at Grantham in 10 previous visits to play a league game.

Witton Star Man: Jonathan Breeze. A close call between Albion’s central midfield pairing, for Michael Powell was hugely impressive too.

They epitomised everything that had promise about Witton’s performance – resolute, determined and lots of endeavour.

Grantham (4-4-2) Haystead (GK), Reynolds, Lister, Miller, Ridley, Fairclough (McGhee 62), Towey, Nwadike, Burbeary, Jackson, Graham (Hawes 68) Subs not used Sucharewycz, Lewis, King

Witton (4-4-2) Cooper (GK), Brown, Bodie, Harrison, Joseph, Andrews, Breeze, Powell, Dawson (Hancock 74), Parkhouse, Thompson (Gardner 74) Subs not used Plant (GK), Moyo, Moseley

Referee Ben Cooke (Atherstone)
Attendance 189