PLEASE NOTE: I HAVE WRITTEN THIS PRIOR TO READING ANY COMMENTS ON THIS FORUM
FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER 5 WITTON ALBION 3 attendance 2,201
Team: Smith G.; Scott, Dunne, Burke (Schwarz H/T), Donnelly; Smith S. (Thaker 15), Drew, Willis (Skelton 60), Thornley B.; Thompson & Thornley R. Unused Subs: Pritchard & Millington (GK).
With more than half of this match remaining it seemed, at the time, that the largest league crowd attendance at a Witton Albion match for almost 15 years could well witness Witton’s worst ever Northern Premier League result. That they didn’t bore great testimony to the 11 yellow shirted players that completed this first ever encounter against FC United of Manchester.
With just 14 seconds of the match gone the travelling large contingent of noisy Wittoners were as shell shocked as goalkeeper Greg Smith who was left with no chance at all when a woefully under-hit back pass from Gary Burke was gleefully seized upon by Kyle Wilson and the striker, who was allowed to depart by Jim Vince last season, completed his task with ease.
In the 4th minute Wilson was nicely positioned 15 yards out to collect Smith’s poorly directed punched clearance, following a free-kick floated in from the right, to net his 13th goal of the season and rub further salt into Albion’s wounds. Seven minutes later the rampant home side were three goals ahead, Scott Willis losing possession too easily and Chris Baguley, following a superb 1-2 with another ex Albion player Adam Carden, slotted the ball past Smith.
Smith produced a good save to deny Danny Warrender before at last the 24th minute saw his opposite number Sam Ashton called upon to make a save himself, it came from a low driven in free-kick from Mark Drew and although the keeper failed to hold the ball Willis could only fire the rebound against the top of the right angle and into the massed ranks of United supporters. With Witton coming more into the game ten minutes later Rod Thornley scampered down the right to cross for early substitute Ross Thaker to send his near post shot narrowly wide of the target. Thornley himself then headed over the bar following a free-kick.
Any remaining hopes Albion had of getting back into the match were dashed in the 39th minute when with Burke left for dead by Carden the winger’s cross into the danger area saw Gary Scott seemingly get the last touch under intense pressure from Baguley with the ball ending up in the roof of the net.
In the second of the three minutes stoppage time period another Drew free-kick was only partially cleared and when the ball was played back in LEE THOMPSON bustled his way in to at least bring some respectability back to the score-line.
Manager Nigel Deeley made his second substitution during the break and Albion strived to pull the scores closer but Thompson’s headed attempt went just over the cross-bar. It was therefore somewhat against the run of play in the 66th minute when Jerome Wright wriggled his way through the middle to produce an exquisite chip over Smith for United’s 5th goal.
Five minutes later it looked like Albion’s record defeat would be equalled as Tony Dunne tripped Carlos Roca but Smith produced a great save diving to his right to push away Wilson’s spot-kick. With 15 minutes left and seemingly buoyed by Smith’s heroics Albion really turned the screws on, Drew played a good ball into the path of LEE THOMPSON who outstripped his marker to net with aplomb his 5th goal from six appearances for Witton.
Five minutes later Thompson looked to be repeating the feat but this time Simon Garner managed to firstly impede him, as he bore down on goal, before producing a challenge that the loyal Wittoners, who had stayed on supporting their side, fully expected a red card to be produced by Chorley based referee Kevin Mattocks. Unbelievably though play wasn’t even stopped!
Smith was called upon four minutes from time to produce another great stop when he pushed away Simon Carden’s shot but as the match entered the two minutes of stoppage time it was Albion and ROD THORNLEY who had the final say when cutting in from the right and slotting the ball past Ashton.