IF at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

The crossbar may have got in the way of Danny McKenna’s attempts to put Witton Albion ahead in their opening home game of the season against Mickleover Sports on Tuesday night but it was the versatile former Runcorn Linnets man who bagged the winner.

McKenna, 21, in his third season in a red and white striped shirt, rifled home in the 70th minute after Liam Goulding laid him on.



 

It proved enough to secure for Witton, who handed a debut to loan signing Kyle Hawley, a first win of the new campaign and a rise of eight places to sixth in the BetVictor Northern Premier League.






Hawley had earlier combined with McKenna before the latter’s arcing 25-yard shot rattled the woodwork in what had been the best scoring chance of the first half in pouring rain at Wincham Park.



 

Before kick-off 284 spectators, players and officials wholeheartedly took part in a minute’s applause for Terry Murphy, the former Witton player and manager who died on Saturday, aged 79.

A similar minute of respect for Murphy was paid over at Townfield in Barnton, too, where 1874 Northwich were defeated 4-2 by Irlam in the North West Counties League Premier Division.



 

They fell 3-0 adrift, with two of the goals coming from Jordan Southworth in a coach-killer three-minute period either side of half time.

1874 Northwich then hit back.

First Lee Jackson (58) and then Matthew Woolley (81) put the game back in the melting pot.

Dylan Meredith only settled the outcome in the 90th minute.










Meanwhile, Barnton suffered a third defeat in five North West Counties First Division South outings when they visited Wythenshawe Amateurs.



 



 

Samuel Adewusi put the hosts in front after 36 minutes but the points were only secured late on through Kayle Power (85) and Terry Mupariwa (91).