For their second long journey of the week Carl Macauley made just the one change, affording Will Jones his first start of the campaign at the expense of Rob Hopley.

Warm Leicestershire sunshine greeted the teams and for most of the opening period it appeared the visitors were catching the rays rather than the Barwell forwards. In only the 2nd minute Ryan Robbins, who had been the scourge of Witton whilst with Stamford previously, skied his shot after being allowed too much room on the left.

Then on the quarter hour mark Robbins, this time from the opposite flank, was allowed to cut into the box drawing Calvin Hare towards him thus forcing the forward to delay his shot just enough that when Robbins sent his effort goalwards Nick Ryan managed to boot the ball off the goal-line.

A free-kick delivered perfectly from the right, just outside the box, mid-way through the half saw Hare using his feet superbly to deny the homesters’ Michael Townsend’s header a certain opener whilst two minutes later Robbins again unmarked at the right post just couldn’t stretch enough to convert a well struck cross from the left.

It wasn’t all one-way traffic by any means but to be honest Witton’s sorties and subsequent shots didn’t really cause keeper Liam Castle and his defenders too much concern. Prince Haywood prodding balls gave Steve Tames a couple of opportunities but not enough power allowed Castle easy takes. Ben Hedley and skipper Anthony Brown had a couple of shots each but threatened the houses behind the goal more. The best move of the half on 38 minutes saw Haywood himself sending in a low shot that Castle saved at the base of his left post.

Just like four days previous though the dressing room pep talk, along with a formation variation, worked with Albion really taking the game to the home team. James Foley was buzzing playing down the slight incline and on 53 minutes centred the ball to Will Jones who produced a neat slip shot but straight at the keeper though.

Just short of the hour mark, and after a couple of minutes stoppage with Lee Hildreth requiring treatment, came the decisive break through. A Haywood throw-in when play resumed led to a free-kick with Paul Williams picking Foley out and his header to Will Jones saw the striker fire low into the far left of the net, in the narrowest of gaps, to foil Castle’s dived attempt to save.

Witton went looking for more Jones headed onto Tames but he could only fire straight at the keeper. Haywood worked himself well before finding Tames who flicked the ball onto Jones only for substitute Liam Kay to scramble the ball off the goal-line. (As captured on the accompanying videos, kindly supplied by Vijay Anthwal.)

With Albion looking to get on the score-sheet more than, their very successful it has to be said, once a game Tames was denied by Castle’s great save as he palmed the ball away.

Witton thus kept up their 100% three match record at Barwell and although quite a number of regular supporters were prevented from travelling to watch their favourites a fair proportion of a pretty meagre crowd total journeyed back up north very content indeed.

TEAMS:
Barwell: Castle; Towers, Nisevic, Stanley, Townsend, Julien, Hildreth, Seal, Robbins (Kay 71), Bates (Baldwin 79) & Story (Whitmore 79). Subs not used: Gilchrist & Belford. Booked: Hildreth (foul).

Albion (3:5:2): Hare; Wilson, Brown, Ryan; Gardner, Haywood, Williams, Foley, Hedley; Tames & Jones (Hopley 86). Subs not used Evans, Newby, Greenop & Moore. Booked: Gardner (simulation) & Hedley (dissent)

Referee: Martin Chester Attendance: 162