A SECOND win this week against a direct rival for a play-offs place will satisfy Carl Macauley no end.

Witton’s manager can now safely write off as just a blip last Saturday’s calamity at Carlton.

His players have performed better, certainly more fluidly, in other games this season but goals from Rob Hopley and stand-in skipper Paul Williams were enough to secure a deserved victory.

Basford, buoyed by winning four of their past five league matches, made them earn it.

Not only that, the visitors will wonder if the outcome might have been different had they converted one of the chances they created while the game was still goalless.

Ash Grayson failed to hit the target when Jamie Walker teed him up, while Kyle Dixon was denied by Witton goalkeeper Danny Roberts’ smart save when they came face-to-face on 19 minutes.

Albion, after starting slowly, recovered.

Hopley had already sent a header wide of an upright, from Tom Owens’ cross, before putting the hosts ahead after half an hour.

The front man arched his back to meet Brad Bauress’ corner, making a firm connection to send the ball over the line.

A second almost followed straightaway when Tolani Omotola, who scored twice to sink Newcastle in midweek, intercepted a sloppy pass out of defence.

His shot was goal-bound, but Deon Meikle threw himself in the way to block its path there.

Anthony Brown also diverted Williams’ whipped free kick with his head, but a wet ball skidded wide of the target.

If Roberts’ save for Witton was crucial before the break, then United custodian Saul Deeney was similarly decisive on 65 minutes.

Owens’ assist for Hopley was clever, but the striker was thwarted by a fingertip save at full stretch.

However when Albion did score again, five minutes later, it was a reward for their best move of the match.

Owens nudged the ball between full-back Billy Bennett’s legs before making progress to the by-line.

From there he picked out Bauress, who in turn diverted it in Williams’ direction.

Instead of shooting first time, the midfielder side-stepped an advancing defender to make a more favourable angle from which he drilled low past Deeney’s left hand.

Courey Grantham then instinctively jabbed in a cross from the right to make it 2-1 on 74 minutes, reopening the contest.

Witton almost closed it again when Hopley, from a set piece taken this time by Williams, headed against a post.

Within 60 seconds, Calum Smith fizzed a cross-cum-shot inches wide at the other end.

Deeney was swift from his line, and brave, to smother Hopley’s shot on the stretch with three minutes left.

The ball rolled loose to substitute Karl Noon, who blasted it straight at a waiting Walker on the goal-line.

“We weren’t at our best, but we won ugly,” said Gary Martindale, Witton’s assistant manager, at full-time.

“But that’s not a bad habit to have is it?”

Witton | 4-3-3 | Roberts (GK), Haywood, Brown, Wilson, Devine, Reeves, Williams, Owens, Omotola (Noon 63), Hopley, Bauress (Miller 90) Subs not used Garner (GK), Benjamin, Hickman Goals Hopley 29, Williams 70 Booked Haywood (time-wasting)

Basford | 4-5-1 | Deeney (GK), Fabian Smith (Duffy 81), Rowley (Pickbourne 75), Meikle, Bennett, Grayson (Jack Wood 64), Calum Smith, Dixon, Sheridan, Walker, Grantham Subs not used Jake Wood (GK), Hutchinson Goal Grantham 74 Booked Grayson, Grantham (both fouls)

Referee Richard Abson

Attendance 261