JON Macken praised “a really good team performance” from his Witton Albion side after their Boxing Day derby win.

Their first ever league meeting with neighbours 1874 Northwich resulted in a dominant 4-1 win at Townfield, with in-form frontman Connor Hughes once again to the fore.

Hughes’ brace makes it seven goals in as many appearances as Witton extended their unbeaten run in league outings to six games.

Northwich Guardian: Connor Hughes takes aim to score his second and Witton's fourth at TownfieldConnor Hughes takes aim to score his second and Witton's fourth at Townfield (Image: Karl Brooks Photography)

Elliot Rokka and Harry McGee were also on the scoresheet, with the hosts’ sole response coming via a late Matt Woolley penalty.

Albion were 3-0 up at half time and Macken was impressed with how his side managed the second half with the game all but won.

“It was certainly a nice Christmas present,” he said.

“To be fair, I thought the performance was outstanding – in the first half especially, we were very good.

“It was always going to be a different kind of game in the second half but we managed the game really well.

“We got some chances early on and we finished them. We weren’t finishing these chances a couple of months ago but now we are and it’s great to see.

“That builds confidence but I thought every player including the subs that came on was outstanding today. It was a really good team performance.”

The victory allowed Witton to leapfrog their neighbours as they climbed to ninth in the Northern Premier League West Division table.

Their upturn in form faces a stern test in their first game of 2023 as they welcome fourth-placed Runcorn Linnets to the U Lock It Stadium on January 2.

However, it is a task Macken is relishing.

“It’s not easy to get five or six games unbeaten,” he said.

“It’s very difficult for teams to do that, but we’re there now and we’ve just got to keep going and see where it can take us.

“The hunger is there to go and make it seven, eight and nine.

“The task is difficult but when that hunger is there, we won’t be far away in games."

Listen to the full interview with Karl Brooks below