THERE is work, and running, to do for Witton Albion.

That’s the verdict of manager Carl Macauley after watching his side succumb to Southport in their first pre-season friendly on Tuesday.

A 3-0 defeat reflected a difference between the two teams on the field.

“They deserved to win and I expected them to be stronger at this stage,” he said.

“Southport have more training sessions under their belt, and had played at the weekend, and they showed the strength in depth that they have with the substitutes they sent on.

“I expected us to make mistakes, although not as quickly as we did!

“It’s true that we gave away silly goals, and against opposition of that quality there is no chance of not being punished.”

Jason Gilchrist skipped around debutant goalkeeper Greg Hall to open the scoring in less than 30 seconds after a simple clearance by the visitors turned into a pass that sliced open Albion’s defence.

The striker was alert again to double the visitors’ lead shortly before the interval when Hall, a new recruit from neighbours 1874 Northwich, cleared straight to former Witton favourite Brad Bauress.

He steered the ball quickly to Gilchrist, who sent the ball into an unguarded goal with the custodian out of position.

And Bauress was involved in Southport’s third too when his cross was deflected by a defender into substitute Jack Sampson’s path and he forced a loose ball into the net.

Macauley, who was able to include another summer signing in the form of midfielder Billy Smart, used the remainder of the game to run the rule over a long list of trialists.

He added: “We can’t keep looking at lads for too long, but at the same time they need an opportunity to show what they can do unless they’re a million miles off what we need.

“If we think they might have something, then we’ll give them a chance.”

Witton travel to Vauxhall Motors for their next friendly on Saturday.