Witton team news and latest score updates will appear here as and when they become available.
Cheers Derek :clap
Witton team news: Albion are unchanged from the side that won impressively at Buxton in midweek. Joe Shaw retains his place as Luke Clark is injured. Jamie Rainford completes his three match ban so Jamie Henders partners Alex Titchiner up front. New goalkeeping coach Andy Robertson comes in for Ryan Swift on the bench.
Dean Porter, Anthony Gardner, Zac Corbett, Ben Harrison John Shaw, Sam Barnes, Jon Dawson, Joe Shaw, Jamie Henders, Alex Titchiner, Danny Andrews.
Subs: Liam Gibson, Michael Koral, Luke Ainscough, Andy Robertson.
Latest Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 0 Witton Albion 0.
Latest Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 0 Witton Albion 0.
The home side dominating things on a very heavy pitch.
Latest Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 1 Witton Albion 0.
Danny Maguire puts Spartans ahead on 34 minutes.
Half Time Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 1 Witton Albion 0.
Yellow Card - John Shaw.
Latest Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 1 Witton Albion 0.
64 minutes - Titch’s header from Jon Dawson’s cross saved by the Spartans keeper.
Attendance: 447.
Latest Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 1 Witton Albion 1.
John Shaw from Joe Shaw’s corner on 71 minutes.
Get in. Come on lads
Witton Substitution:
Jamie Henders replaced by Michael Koral.
Latest Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 2 Witton Albion 1.
Matthew Wade puts Spartans back in front on 78 minutes.
Witton Substitutions:
Zac Corbett replaced by Liam Gibson - 85 minutes.
Jon Dawson replaced by Luke Ainscough - 85 minutes.
Full Time Score from Croft Park:
Blyth Spartans 2 Witton Albion 1.
Witton almost snatched a point but Alex Titchiner’s shot in the last minute was cleared off the line.
We were really up against it first half Blyth played some great stuff and really had us under pressure for prolonged periods. Thought we defended well and was really impressed with Porter. Could argue we were lucky to go in only 1-0 down.
Second half we came out and took the game to them. Rightfully equalised through a great header from John Shaw. They scored again with their only chance of the half. We pushed on for an equaliser, but sadly didn’t get the run of the green. A few times the heavy pitch worked out to Blyths benefit, that coupled with some very odd refereeing decisions it just wasn’t our day.
Plenty of positives to take especially the second half performance. We’re definitely moving in the direction.
UTA
At half time we were fortunate to be one down. The front men of Blyth ran us ragged and but for some good last ditch tackles and a couple of good saves Blyth would have been out of sight. Maguire took his goal well but went off soon after which was a relief as only Dale had looked more dangerous than him for Spartans.
Second half was a different matter. Witton looked a lot hungrier and we managed to get titch on the ball in the final third a lot more. We equalised through a shaw header from an excellent corner and it came during our best spell of the game but unfortunately within a couple of minutes we let them get in on the right and a close range header crept in despite the efforts of the keeper. The lads heads didn’t drop and with the last meaningful kick of the game titch had an effort cleared off the line after a scramble from one of the most incorrectly given corners I’ve ever seen!
We were unlucky not to take a point in the end and that’s testament to the effort of the players as Blyth were absolutely superb in the first half
Before the start of the Ashton game I would have taken 6 out of 9. Tremendous effort from Sully and the boys. UTA