Albion comfortably progress

In a competition that Witton rarely do well in they started this season’s campaign with a very comfortable victory over their First Division North opponents.

Ryan Neild was handed the goal-keeping gloves whilst Cesaire Lingouba got to make his first start and saw his 7th minute shot strike the post.
On 18 minutes referee David Croft pulled play back after advantage hadn’t materialised, the free-kick pumped upfield and falling nicely to Nick Ryan who volleyed the ball past keeper Ryan Jones to set Albion on their way.

James Foley saw his headed attempt headed off the line by Ben Jago in the 27th minute whilst Jones produced a good save to deny Michael Wilson seven minutes later.

The closest the visitors came to scoring in the opening half was an Elie Akobeto shot that went over the top on the half-hour mark.

Carl Macauley made two changes at half-time including 17 year old Ronan Eves being given his first, first team outing of this season. The Youth team player took the eye and really when he produced a tremendous cross from the right flank midway through the half Steve Tames header went narrowly wide with the goal seemingly at his mercy.

By then Witton were two goals to the good though courtesy of a sweetly struck 22 yard curling free-kick from Paul Williams that entered the net off the right upright.

Radcliffe throughout the second half only produced a couple of efforts of note, the first just after the restart when former Albion midfielder and their captain Carl Peers volleyed wide whilst Jago’s headed attempt also went wide of the target in the 83rd minute.

It was therefore left to substitute Tom Owens to have the final say seven minutes after coming on to win his one on one with Jones and cleanly finish with six minutes remaining.

WITTON: Neild; Gardner, McKenna, Foley (Eves h/t), Wilson, Ryan, Lingouba, Williams, Hopley (Jones h/t), Tames (Owens 77) & Hedley. Subs not used Hare & Moore.

BORO: Jones, Ellis, Fallon, Jago, Kearney, Grogan, Owens (Quirk 59), Peers, Akobeto (Seoul 82), Hooper & Fitton (Grier 59). Subs not used: Black & Haslam