Making changes

South Shields co-manager Graham Fenton spent a chunk of the half-time interval talking to Jamie Holmes.

The teenager listened intently, nodding his head as he received instruction, before he was introduced in the 51st minute in place of Luke Sullivan.

He was stationed on the left, and the Mariners sent Gavin Cogdon over to the opposite flank to fill the space vacated by Sullivan.

It worked a treat.

Holmes was able to apply pressure to Michael Wilson, not a specialist full-back, while Cogdon occupied the attention of Matty Devine for long enough to prevent him from attacking as regularly he had before the break.

And the youngest player on the field earned a reward for his side of a place in the FA Cup second qualifying round, for the first time since 1997, by scoring twice during the closing stages.

Anthony Gardner’s injury

Witton’s longest-serving player left the field on a stretcher after half an hour following a poorly-timed tackle by Carl Finnigan that left referee Michael Ainsworth with no alternative but to caution the striker.

The extent of damage done to his ankle in the challenge will not be known until later on Sunday.

Gardner’s early exit forced manager Carl Macauley to abandon a 3-5-2 formation that has served his side so well during the opening month of a new campaign.

He shuffled Michael Wilson across to full-back, and introduced Micah Evans as an orthodox winger in a looser 4-4-2.

It upset the home team’s balance, and they were also shorn of their club captain’s offensive ability.

Wilson defended diligently for the most part but both of the Mariners’ goals were scored by substitute Jamie Holmes, who played on the left of their front-line after coming on.

On the benefit of experience

Witton manager Carl Macauley said after the game that South Shields’ know-how, and ability to manage a game that was in the balance, saw them over the finish-line late one.

The Mariners’ starting XI included seven players over the age of 30, with captain Julio Arca providing a calming influence in possession when they needed to take a breather.  

Crucially, it meant the visitors were unruffled despite not being at their best and when they came under most pressure from their hosts in spells either side of the interval.

That composure was infectious because Jamie Holmes, the youngest player on the pitch following his introduction as a substitute, was the coolest man in Wincham when finishing stylishly on both occasions he had a clear sight of goal.

Job done for the reigning FA Vase holders.

Missing chances is a costly business

It is true that Prince Haywood’s driven attempt before half-time, which prompted South Shields goalkeeper Liam Connell to make a brilliant one-handed save low to his left, was Witton Albion’s only shot on target.

However a perception that they created little else is plain wrong.

James Foley ought to have hit the target when Will Jones sent him clear, then the latter was robbed of the ball by Arca’s astute intervention after dithering too long in the penalty area.

Paul Williams had only Connell to beat from close range when he contorted his body to meet Jones’ lobbed pass on the volley shortly after half-time.

However he could not keep down his finish.

On all four occasions did the Albion player have an unobstructed sight of goal inside the area.

Where next for Witton?

Albion have lost back-to-back home games against considerably better-resourced, and more experienced, opposition in the past week.

Carl Macauley isn’t worried, and nor should he be.

His side must improve, of course, and the return of Rob Hopley for a midweek meeting with Marine will help.

Ben Hedley, a discrete performer during a handful of appearances during a loan stay, is back for that game too.

Testing trips to Stafford Rangers next Saturday and then Halesowen Town the following Tuesday are proof of the Premier Division’s rigour, but Witton’s manager has expected that from the first minute of a new campaign at Mickleover last month.

His side lacks the ingenuity it had when Brad Bauress was at its centre, and a recalibration to attack from wide positions – evidenced by the signings of Evans, Ben Greenop and Alex Newby in the summer – is very much a work in progress so far.