Injuries cannot stop Witton (From Northwich Guardian)

Injuries cannot stop Witton

1:52pm Thursday 8th December 2011 in Match reports

Durham City 1 Witton Albion 3

WITTON returned from the north east with a confidence boosting three points, picking up their second win of the week on an artificial pitch that has not previously made a happy hunting ground for Brian Pritchard’s men.

It was made all the more impressive by the loss through injury that Albion had to endure, with Carl Clampitt (hamstring), Josh Glover (dead leg), Oliver James (calf), Mike Moseley (groin) and Liam Newman (shin) all ruled out by the club doctor.

But despite the set backs they attacked the fixture with relish, taking the lead as early as the fourth minute when Dean Ennion found Anthony Sheehan free on the edge of the box and his shot deflected past Lewis Graham in the home goal.

As the half wore on the weather worsened and the chances became few and far between, though Durham were lucky not to go down to 10 men after Alex Titchiner was felled on the edge of the box.

It was much the same in the second half, with the heavy wind dictating play and helping the hosts keep control of the ball, though without really troubling the Witton keeper.

Albion’s injury crisis reared its head once again on 54 minutes, Anthony Gardner stretchered off in agony after a 50/50 challenge, to be replaced by Matt Woolley.

The second half drew to a close without too many chances for either side, until a mad-cap last 10 minutes saw both sides find the net.

First the lively Titchiner doubled the visitor’s lead with a cool chip after Danny Andrews had fed him through on goal, only for Durham to respond with a goal of their own, Amar Purewal heading home to give the hosts a lifeline.

But Witton were not going to let the three points slip away so easily and they secured a vital three points in the dying moments when Titchiner raced through a tiring defence and slotted home to move his side back up to fifth in the Evo-Stik NPL Division One North table.

Witton: Matt Cooper, Anthony Gardner (58min, Matt Woolley), Mat Wood, Ben Harrison, Paul Booth, Dean Ennion, Josh Hancock, Anthony Sheehan, Mark Buchan (83min, Tom Schofield), Alex Titchiner, Danny Andrews. Subs not used: Liam Newman, Mike Moseley and Brian Pritchard.