An 82nd minute strike by Will Jones was enough to decide this tight affair as Witton Albion picked up another victory to move up into 9th position in the league standings.

There were two changes to the Albion starting XI which defeated Scarborough Athletic seven days previous, with Billy Smart and Osebi Abadaki coming into the side in place of Cesaire Lingouba and Tom Owens who were named on the bench.

The home side had an early chance to make the breakthrough with James Foley sending a goalbound shot which needed a deflection to send the ball wide of the target.

A few minutes later, good defending from River Humphreys and Josh Wardle denied Grantham, with some excellent blocks before the ball was cleared away from danger.

Osebi Abadaki was next up to have an opportunity on goal. The wide man cut inside from the left but his right footed shot from 20 yards lacked power and Sam Andrew in the Grantham goal was able to collect easily.

Midway through the first half, Carl Macauley was forced into a change, with full-back Anthony Gardner picking up an injury. He was replaced by Matty Devine with a defensive reshuffle seeing Luke Offord move from left back to right back.

As the first half drew to its close, Danny McKenna sliced a shot wide of the target while another Abadaki effort was saved by Andrew as the teams went in deadlocked at the break.

Witton almost opened the scoring shortly after the restart. A left wing corner by Foley was only half cleared, the ball falling nicely for Billy Smart to hit on the volley and his spectacular effort flew just inches over the crossbar.

Will Jones sent a similarly spectacular volley from the edge of the area just over too as Witton upped the ante and were using the wind at their backs to their advantage.

At the other end, Greg Hall had to be alert to save a deflected free kick by Grantham skipper Danny Brooks, before Danny McKenna was withdrawn and Tom Owens sent on in his place in Albion’s second change of the game.

Michael Tweed then had a jinking run halted by an excellent block tackle by Wardle shortly before Foley limped off to be replaced by Cesaire Lingouba.

Abadaki went close following a good move down the left, he broke past a defender and his shot trickled across the face of the goal and agonisingly wide.

Despite the missed chances, Witton kept going and finally got their reward with eight minutes remaining.

Devine played a diagonal ball which, after a flick on by Rob Hopley, found Will Jones inside the penalty area. The striker brought the ball inside past his defender before sliding the ball past Andrew and into the back of the net.

Hopley had a great chance to double the advantage moments later when a cross to the back post found him unmarked, but his effort was slashed wide of the target.

But it mattered not, as Witton held on to seal another three points.

Witton Albion: Hall, Gardner (Devine 24'), Offord, Wardle, Humphreys, Smart, McKenna (Owens 72'), Abadaki, Hopley, Jones, Foley (Lingouba 80').
Subs not used: Wynne, Neild. Booked: Humphreys (Adopting an aggressive attitude).

Grantham Town: Andrew, Barrows, Bartle, Cartwright, Ward, Tweed, McGovern (Kelly 89'), Brooks (Hogg 84'), Adebayo-Smith (Jackson 74'), Dawson, Francis.
Subs not used: Briers, Smith. Booked: Ward (Foul), Francis (Retaliation).