IF you’re short of goals, then call for Ben Harrison.

The defender has scored three times in as many appearances since returning temporarily to Witton Albion on loan from Altrincham, including a double in this routine win against Workington.

The truth is that he’s made Carl Macauley’s side better at both ends of the field.

A path to victory against Reds, who resembled a side resigned to its fate after a sixth defeat in seven matches leaves them adrift at the bottom of the table, wasn’t an entirely smooth one.

Harrison’s first goal arrived early, and he executed perfectly an overhead kick – placing it exactly where goalkeeper Aaran Taylor couldn’t reach – after Danny McKenna nudged the ball towards him with a header from a set-piece.

It wasn’t the catalyst that those following Albion in the sunshine might have predicted though.

A three-man defence, with Harrison flanked on one side by River Humphreys and Josh Wardle on the other, rarely looked in trouble though.

There was a glimpse of goal for Scott Allison midway through the opening period following a neat exchange with Garry Thompson on the left but he fired too close to custodian Greg Hall at his near post.

Albion appeared comfortable, if not necessarily cohesive, but nor did they take control.

Instead they were jolted when Anthony Gardner’s header, intended for Hall, fell short and was intercepted by an alert Allison.

Witton’s number one was swift from his line though and blocked the striker’s shot before a recovering defender cleared the loose ball.

He came to the hosts’ rescue again early in the second-half, jabbing out a hand instinctively to keep out Allison’s header after the front man reached first a flick-on from a long throw.

Humphreys then angled a glorious long pass that dissected Workington’s defence and left Rob Hopley clear but could not lift his shot over Taylor.

Macauley introduced Will Jones, who received an award before kick-off after being chosen as Witton’s best player during March, to support his captain in attack.

He switched McKenna with Luke Offord too, moving the former into a left wing-back role, and the impact was significant.

A second goal arrived as well on 62 minutes when Harrison leapt higher than his marker to meet Humphreys’ free-kick with a thumping downward header.

And this time Albion did kick on.

There was a stroke of fortune for them though when Workington substitute Dan Carmichael lifted a cross against the inside of a post when he tried to pick out a teammate.

Harrison was denied a hat-trick after shuffling the ball from one foot to the other before Matty Douglas threw himself in the way of his goal-bound shot.

Hopley’s header from a Gardner throw clipped the top of the crossbar too as Albion searched to score three goals in a Premier Division fixture for only the third time this season.

They didn’t manage too, but at least extended a run without losing in front of their own supporters to five matches.

Witton | 3-5-1-1 | Hall (GK), Humphreys, Harrison, Wardle, Gardner, McKenna, Smart (Jones 53), Foley (Doyle 90), Owens (Cesaire 80), Hopley Subs not used Egan, Neild (GK) Goals Harrison 8, 62 Booked Gardner 

Workington | 4-4-2 | Taylor (GK), Douglas, Calvert (Holt 12), Wordsworth, Smith, Symington, Carroll (Carmichael 69), Cowperthwaite, Tinnion, Thompson (Walker 72), Allison Subs not used Joel, Rowntree Booked Smith, Thompson, Holt, Symington 

Referee Neil Evans 

Attendance 246