Is this another that got away?

I think so, and we certainly had chances to finish them off.

It’s funny because I want into the sponsors’ lounge before the game and one of the guests asked: ‘How come Witton concede so many late goals?’!

Of course we’re not happy with it.

What happened for the equaliser?

I was upset with how deep we were – look how close to the target their player is when he connects with the header.

He was yards from the goal, and that shouldn’t happen when the ball has come as far as it has.

They also passed it backwards before the cross came in, which is why we ought to have reacted better than we did.

It was so difficult in those conditions though wasn’t it?

They were really grim. Just horrible.

I felt sorry for their goalkeeper when we scored because he had absolutely no chance of doing anything about it because of the way the wind carried the ball.

A six-game unbeaten run to finish the season is encouraging, no?

Yes, it’s another positive result.

We wanted the win though, not necessarily for the three points but because it would have meant we finished top of the clean-sheet table ahead of Warrington.

We knew they had conceded at Buxton, and wanted one more shut-out to have the best record in that department.

I sensed we were comfortable even though they tried to pin us back and get balls into our penalty area with the wind behind them in the second-half.

However your initial reflections after finishing ninth will be wholly positive won’t they?

Absolutely, and I wasn’t too harsh on the players afterwards.

We’ve had a fantastic season, and I shook hands with every player afterwards to thank them because they have given everything.

Gary [Martindale] and I demand determination and desire from every one of them, and that was typified by Billy Smart when he was struck hard in the stomach with the ball after busting his gut to close down their defender.

That’s what we ask for, and they’ve given that.