Albion frustrate Wires in Stalemate

Defensive quality shines through

Warrington Town 0-0 Witton Albion

By Paul Harper

It was a point apiece in the Cheshire derby on Bank Holiday Monday as Witton Albion picked up another point on the road with a 0-0 draw from their final away fixture of the season at Warrington Town.

The point earned was Witton’s 30th on the road this season with a record of nine wins, three draws and eight defeats away from Wincham Park.

It also denied their opponents a chance of winning the league title, Warrington now four points behind leaders Farsley Celtic so the play-offs await The Yellows.

Osebi Abadaki was brought back into the team by Carl Macauley in place of James Foley in the only change from Saturday’s 2-0 win over Whitby Town. Anthony Gardner had recovered from illness to take a place on the bench.

The first 45 minutes was largely a non-event with very few chances falling to either side.

Rob Hopley and Josh Wardle headed off target from right wing corners while at the other end, Dylan Vassallo forced Greg Hall into a routine save with a tame header on target.

A minute or so before the half time interval, Vassallo spurned the best chance of the game. Tony Gray’s flick header played him through on goal but his shot was met with a superb save by Greg Hall to deny the hosts going in at the break ahead.

Anthony Gardner replaced Cesaire Lingouba at the start of the second half in a straight swap at right back.

Osebi Abadaki had a goalward shot blocked away by the Warrington defence as Albion looked to threaten the opposition goal a bit more at the start of the second half, before James Foley and Will Jones were introduced into the action, Lewis Doyle and Abadaki the ones withdrawn.

The final 20 minutes or so belonged to the hosts, who knew only victory would be enough to keep their championship ambitions alive.

Full back Alex Whittle drilled a low shot from the edge of the penalty area which Greg Hall did well to keep hold of, before Bohan Dixon forced another stop from Witton’s number one.

Tony Gray wasted a good opportunity with four minutes remaining, firing over the bar from a good position inside the penalty area, as the home side kept pushing for the decisive goal.

Dixon headed over the crossbar while Hall had to be at his acrobatic best to tip a piledriver by Marcus Cusani over his crossbar with the save of the match.

Ben Garrity fired wide of the target as Warrington huffed and puffed but they could not break down the resolute Witton defence who kept their 17th league clean sheet of the season against the Wires side that hadn’t failed to score at home since mid October!.

There’s one more game to go for Carl Macauley’s side, with Hednesford Town visiting Wincham Park on Saturday as Witton aim to end the season on a positive note.

Warrington Town: McMillan, Duggan (McCarthy 81'), Whittle, Garrity, Roberts, Raven, Mackreth (Cusani 69'), Evans, Gray, Vassallo, Dunn (Dixon 69'). Subs not used: Benjamin, Beeley.

Witton Albion: Hall, Lingouba (Gardner 46'), Devine, Wardle, Offord, Smart, McKenna, Owens, Hopley, Doyle (Foley 55'), Abadaki (Jones 58'). Sub not used: Neild.

Referee: Conor Brown Attendance 733