GARY Martindale pointed to how Warrington can call on a substitute to make the difference after Witton fell to a 2-1 defeat on Boxing Day.

Although Albion led at the interval thanks to Will Jones’ goal, they could not prevent Tony Gray from scoring twice – including a stoppage-time winner – for the visitors following his introduction.

“He’s the reason they beat us,” said Witton’s assistant manager.

“You can’t give a player of his quality even the merest sniff of goal, because that’s all he needs.

“Look at how he took his goals; for the first, it was one touch and then bang. He didn’t even need that long for the second.”

Martindale, standing in for Carl Macauley after he was taken ill, told the Guardian that his side can make a case they deserved a draw.

He felt Jones’ strike, sent with power past goalkeeper Tony McMillan after Rob Hopley’s shot was diverted into his path by defender Jack Higgins, was a just reward for the hosts’ first-half performance.

“We were in control,” he said.

“I thought we created more than they did, and might have scored another when Owen [Dale] headed over.

“After that we prepared for Warrington to come at us, and they did.

“It’s hard work defending for 45 minutes like we had to, but we did it well and the lads deserve credit for that when you consider one of our centre-halves didn’t know anybody’s name when he walked into the ground.

“Warrington are a good side, and they put us under pressure – they’ll be a contender for promotion, that’s for sure.”