WITTON boss Brian Pritchard said he had been given plenty to ponder following his side’s nine-goals mauling of Middlewich Town.

Albion included debutants Stuart Plant and Joshua Horne from the start, while teenager Adam Clayton played from the first minute for only the second time.

“Nobody did themselves any harm,” said Pritchard after a 9-1 win that put the hosts in the last four.

“The players that came in acquitted themselves really well, which is reassuring in case we need to call on them again.”

The average age of Witton’s defence from the whistle – Clayton, Ben Harrison, Horne and Josh Glover – was under 20, while goalkeeper Plant is just 21.

Pritchard told the Guardian that harsh words at half time, when Albion led 2-1, prompted the four-goals blitz in as many minutes straight after the restart.

He said: “We stopped playing after going two-goals ahead.

“I felt we went sloppy, conceding a goal that gave them a lift.

“I told the players that they were playing below the standard I expect at this club, so it was great to see such a swift response to that in the second half.

“We were burned by Middlewich last season, and I didn’t want to see a repeat.”

Witton join holders Northwich Victoria, Congleton Town and Winsford United in the competition’s last four.

To read a report on last night's game, click here: http://bit.ly/T3ANin