Carlton 4 Witton 1 (From Northwich Guardian)

Day to forget for Witton Albion at Carlton Town

9:18am Wednesday 11th November 2009 in Match reports By Phil Chadwick

THE scoreline in the first meeting between the two clubs bore little reflection on what happened on the pitch.

Albion custodian Joe Clegg left the pitch on a stretcher and was rushed to hospital after he took a boot to the head during a scramble that led to the hosts’ opener.

Grant Brindley knocked the loose ball over the line, but Witton’s former Manchester City scholar had to be replaced by Brian Pritchard between the posts.

“It was a horrible moment stood on the side of the pitch while Joe lay on the ground not moving,” said Albion manager Gary Finley.

“He’s ok now, but we were really worried at the time.

“It can’t not affect the players after that. First they want to know their teammate is ok, then they have to try to protect their central defender playing in goal.

“That’s a near impossible task.”

Brindley nodded in a free kick on the whistle to double Carlton’s lead after Pritchard failed to collect the cross.

He was beaten again before half time, Karl Slack scoring at the second attempt after Stuart Rudd had failed to cut out a through ball.

Mike Moseley was inches away from converting Maylett’s cross after the interval, then his shot hit the bar after Heler and Maylett had combined with Paul Henry.

Finley’s introduction of a third striker brought instant reward when newcomer John McAliskey raced clear to prod in for Witton.

Maylett forced Carlton custodian Alessandro Barcherini to tip the ball around the post as the visitors pressed, then Moseley’s effort from the resulting corner was cleared off the line.

Slack swelled the home team’s victory margin in stoppage time, firing into the far corner to inflict a sixth league defeat of the season on the men from Wincham Park.

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Witton Clegg (GK) (Pritchard 26), Booth (McAliskey 63), Ruffer, Rudd, Tandy, Maylett, Broadhead, Henry, Heler (Neville 81), Foster, Moseley
Attendance 85