10:33am Monday 15th February 2010
By Phil Chadwick
MIKE Moseley’s missed penalty in the first half warned Witton Albion what was to follow.
The visitors’ first trip to the Hawthorns was a miserable one, ending as they did defeated and with captain and manager watching from the stand after being sent off.
Fortunately a play-offs place remains only a win away.
Moseley, Witton’s milestone man a week ago after scoring his 155th goal in red and white from the spot, failed to repeat the trick after Ronnie Morgan had been tripped.
Brigg custodian Andrew Pettinger did not need to move to make a save, then he reacted quickly to smother Morgan’s follow-up.
Carl Ruffer was taken ill, forcing a reshuffle of Albion’s already makeshift backline, and they struggled to find any cohesion.
There was a scare when Ross Lloyd headed away a goal-bound effort off the line but Brigg, losers on each of their previous five appearances in front of their own fans, broke through at the start of the second half.
A counter raid involving Lee Cochrane, Dan Barrett and Tommy Spall ended with the latter providing a cross that Robert Clarke headed back across goal for Jason Maxwell to apply the finishing touch.
Peter Heler had the ball in the net at the other end with a looping header only for the linesman to rule he was offside in the build-up.
Both teams were reduced to 10-men soon afterwards when Henry and Barrett were sent off following a huge melee sparked by a foul on Albion keeper Jack Baker.
Tempers did not disappear and Witton’s afternoon to forget was worsened when manager Gary Finley was sent to the stand after an accidental collision with the linesman as he retrieved the ball for his team to take a throw.
It leaves them two points off fifth place although its current occupiers, Chasetown, have played one less match.
Witton Baker (GK), Lloyd, Broadhead, Ruffer (Brodie 23), McAllister, Heler, Henry, Maylett, Morgan (Foster 74), Lamb, Moseley
Attendance 135
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