Tuesday August 21st 2007 - UniBond Premier Division
Witton Albion 3 - 1 Marine att 377
Albion bounced back superbly from Saturday’s disappointment to send the Mariners back to Crosby pointless and in grave danger of ruining the good footballing reputation that they have been renowned for, for many a long season.
The match took 10 minutes to really come alight as both teams settled, Liam Brownhill then linked with Alex Brown to create space for a shot that was deflected inches wide. Five minutes later Brownhill, playing on the right following the defensive re-shuffle brought about by Tony Barras’s injury, beat two men before cutting along the by-line and sending a shot crashing against the upright. In the 25th minute though Albion gained possession from an Andy Banks goal-kick, the ball was quickly played to the right and from the corner of the penalty area MARK PEERS curled a beauty that all of us, in direct line behind the goal, knew was bound for the top left corner of the net before Banks even realised the flight’s accuracy.
Albion had a slight scare when a cross from the left evaded Jon Kennedy but there was Brian Pritchard to calmly head away as the visitors converged on him. The final few minutes of the half saw Albion lay siege on Banks’s goal, the keeper blocked Brown’s initial shot and when following up he slipped the ball to Peers the winger’s low drive was blocked for a corner. In stoppage time Peers exchanged passes with Dean Crowe, down the right, before producing a peach of a cross into Adam Warlow’s path, his powerful header saw Banks at full stretch superbly tip the ball over the bar.
The second half commenced from where the first had finished, twice Peers causing the problems as he cut balls back into the danger area, his first cross causing absolute pandemonium as the ball seemed to cry out for a foot to either boot it away or plonk it into the net. Marine though rode their luck and produced a good five minute spell themselves, Kennedy got down well to smother a dangerous cross from Freddie Potter before Peter Cumiskey fired a shot into the side-netting. When in the 62nd minute an Albion sortie upfield went horribly wrong, with Dave Tickle finding himself stranded, Kevin Towey took full advantage to use the space on the right before the ex Barnton hero picked out Cumiskey, unmarked in the six-yard box and he scored for the third consecutive league match against Albion.
Cue a double substitution by Jim Vince and suddenly status quo was restored. Peers again cut into the box, James Dever avoided him but ex Albion player Adam Farley didn’t and it was MARK PEERS himself who took on the task, despite some delaying tactics, to calmly slot the 70th minute spot-kick to Banks’ right.
Several Marine players, very uncharacteristically then lost their heads, Towey barged into Kennedy, Lee Parle took an instant disliking to Ant Danylyk and when skipper Eddie Hussin clattered into Danylyk, referee Russell Green allowed the substitute’s precision pass into STEVE BRODIE’s path to nestle in the net on 73 minutes before booking the ex Winsford man.
Hussin’s frustration at his team’s general performance became all to obvious when he unceremoniously kicked Brownhill to pick up his 2nd yellow in 4 minutes and thus depart fro an early shower. Both Dorryl Proffitt and Warlow immediately had shots blocked following yet another superb bit of by-line work from the outstanding Peers. Parle eventually was cautioned but only once and John Dillon made a late entry for his home debut when Brownhill rather worryingly collapsed, turned out though that a severe touch of cramp was the cause, not helped earlier though by Hussin.
Three good points then, a very healthy crowd figure to hopefully build on, especially when a team well supported at home and less than an hour away couldn’t generate more than 20 travelling fans.
TEAM: Kennedy; Brownhill (Dillon 90), Pritchard, Spearritt, Tickle; Peers, Lloyd (Danylyk 67), Brown, Brodie; Warlow, Crowe (Proffitt 66)
Man of Match : Mark Peers