Witton 2 AFC Fylde 1 (From Northwich Guardian)

Witton Albion come from behind to beat play-offs rivals AFC Fylde

12:45am Thursday 1st December 2011 in Match reports By Andrew Simpson

IN the end Witton got what they wanted; a win.

Brian Pritchard’s play-offs hopefuls returned to the table’s top five after coming from behind to beat AFC Fylde – a direct rival for promotion – for the first time.

The Coasters will curse their luck.

Anthony Gardner’s winning goal was freakish, his cross was blown – literally – into the net by a swirling wind that carried the ball over goalkeeper Zac Jones’ head.

Fylde top scorer Ritchie Allen, who earlier had fired his team in front, then saw his last-minute penalty saved superbly by Matt Cooper at full stretch.

The visitors should not forget though that Danny Andrews had shown similar mercy when sending his shot from the spot towards the sky after slipping.

Had he scored, then Dave Challinor’s men would still have had to play catch-up.

Earlier they had manoeuvred into a winning position after Allen, fortunate to find the ball in his path after Andy Fowler’s slide tackle on Andrews, raced clear.

The former Northwich front man’s finish was emphatic, arrowing a low shot into the far corner.

Andrews could not copy that composure five minutes later when, after Mathew Wood’s throw had been flicked on, he sliced horribly wide with his weaker foot.

It was pretty much Albion’s single attempt in a first half performance void of their usual verve.

That, at least in part, was down to Fylde’s formation permitting them to always have an extra man than Witton in the centre of the field.

Starved of possession, the hosts could floundered.

Fylde’s threat was sporadic, but Allen fizzed a shot narrowly wide and Cooper tipped over Ricky Mercer’s header from Adam Sumner’s free kick as they sought to settle the contest.

Pritchard, who has seen his side plunder 17 goals from their past four league matches at home, probably demanded a lot better from his team at half time.

He was entitled to.

It worked, for Witton woke up soon after the restart.

Prevented by the wind from playing their way back into contention, they rolled up their sleeves instead.

From the moment Sheehan speared in a volley on the hour from close range after the visitors had failed to clear a corner, they wrestled back the initiative.

Joe Booth tripped Andrews in the penalty area soon afterwards but, losing his footing as he shaped to shoot, the wide man spooned over his spot kick.

Allen, by a distance Fylde’s most able attacker, almost inflicted maximum punishment when his thumping drive was clawed by Cooper to safety.

Witton were lucky, for Gardner sought a teammate and not the top corner on 79 minutes, but from fortune they will be happy to find favour after four successive defeats.

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Witton Star Man Anthony Gardner. No, not because he scored the game’s winning goal.

Albion’s right back showed his versatility, firstly attacking from defence and then switching smoothly to a central position following Josh Glover’s enforced exit.

Anthony Sheehan drove Witton forward from the centre of the pitch in the second half, a task he could not do when smothered by Fylde’s narrow midfield trio before the break.

Witton (4-4-2) Cooper (GK), Gardner, Ben Harrison, Glover (Woolley 46) , Wood, Andrews, James (Ennion 43), Sheehan, Hancock, Newman, Titchiner
Subs not used Jamie Harrison, Schofield, Buchan
Goal Sheehan 60, Gardner 79

AFC Fylde (4-3-3) Jones (GK), Heywood, Steel, Mercer, Sumner, Bradley Barnes, Stopforth, Booth (Doughty 75), Allen, Parker (Michael Barnes 54), Fowler
Subs not used Kay, McNiven, Jarvis
Goal Allen 7

Referee Neil Davies (Wirral)
Attendance 238