Witton team news: Mike Moseley starts in place of Lee Thompson while Neil Black returns from injury and starts on the bench.
Team: Speare, Scott, Warner, Pritchard, Booth, James, Maylett, Dunn, Moseley, Lugsden, Lawless.
Subs: Thompson, Black, Dunne, Schwarz, Smith.
Half Time Score: MATLOCK TOWN 1 WITTON ALBION 0.
The Gladiators goal coming from a rebound after Albion keeper Jamie Speare had saved the initial effort.
Full Time Score: MATLOCK TOWN 1 WITTON ALBION 0.
Only real incident of the entire match was the Matlock goal, which, I am afraid, was Pritch’s fault.
The ball was crossed into the box from the left, a Matlock player headed it towards goal, Speare made a great save, the ball bounced at Pritch’s feet, he didn’t clear it, and another Matlock player came in and stabbed it home. No idea what Pritch was doing, but it was what he didn’t do that cost us a point.
There were no real scoring chances for either side after that, although Matlock did hit the post before they scored.
Hopefully we can improve on our performance today over the next week, as we have two crucial games against Whitby. Any points gained in these two games are points denied to Whitby, another team in the relegation battle.
We were dissapointing to say the least today, it was just like the Frickley game we didn’t show up. There wasn’t any real chances from either side though they should have had a penalty when Pritch clumsily brought down their forward after losing him and gifting him a great chance to test Jamie Speare. Speare made one of the saves of the season only to see the rebound poked in the net. Yes Pritch was at fault for the goal, but to give him credit (and I am not one of these who gives Pritch my man of the match every week, even on occasions when he clearly is not) he battled hard to make amends and was one of the few who gave 100% today like he does every game, and lets face it defenders always make mistakes.
Booth was our strongest at the back yet again, and Maylett and Dunn were the only others further upfield that really showed anything today.
It was disappointing to see Lawless so uninterested in the game today, everytime we look like getting away from this relegation dogfight we put in a god awful performance and we are right back in it.
We were poor today - in fact we were worse than poor - not one attempt on target against a team that were no better than us. Any more displays like this and we will go down. The 60 odd travelling supporters deserved more than we got.
You get days like yesterday in football, United lost spectacularly, Spurs beat Chelsea for the first time in 137 years (or close to that), and poor Halifax and Vics both lost.
We were poor, no question about it. Pritch was at fault for the goal, he needed to clear it but that’s easy said than done. On the basis you can count on two hands the poor decisions he has made in 650+ appearances he can be forgiven that one (I know he was unhappy with it. We lost this game because 1 to 11 the team put in below par displays, we passed the ball badly and had very little shape to the side.
Neither side did enough to win the game in reality and were as bad as each other. Matlock possibly worked a bit harder and that was about all. The fact we did not have one shot on target in 90 minutes summed it up. I would struggle to name a man of the match for us, if I had to pick one I would say Danny Warner (the lad does his job without much fuss and always puts in 7/10 or higher performances).
The substitutions made no impact in changing the game, such was the lack of ability to get any control. We did have more pressure in the final 10 minutes and this pressure could possibly have led to something although it felt like we wouldn’t score if we were still playing now.
We do however need to put this into context. It was one defeat. It did not change our league position of 14th but the bottom has ‘bunched up’ after yesterday’s results. What we need on Wednesday is a ‘response’, not to spiral into panic and get jittery. We have won 5 from 6 at home and two more home wins (from the 4 games) and hopefully 3 or 4 points away and we will be ok. It is important that the first 3 points comes on Wednesday.
Over the last couple of months we have established a good character to the side, now is the time to see this pull us through, with every player on the pitch stepping up to the plate.
Wasn’t at the game yesterday - but I KNOW Pritch was gutted about his part in the goal.
We win as a team and we lose as a team. One goal shouldn’t be that critical to us with the midfield and attacking options we have on the field over 90mins.
Danny love your posts and your opinion about our centre halfs,Pritch in particular - a few months ago you were saying Donnelly was the best player in the back four!!!
He gets in the team on merit, not sentiment.(GF doesn’t do sentiment) The report by the Matlock guy a few weeks ago at the home game is testimony to that.
If you can’t appreciate the honesty and ability of Pritch then you have learnt nothing about Witton Albion Football Club in the last few seasons since you have been watching us.
Lets pick ourselves up and make some noise on Wednesday!
Up the Albs
We taught Matlock a lesson a couple of weeks ago, and boy did they learn it!
Although Matlock did hit the post in the first half, their goal on half-time was generally against the run of play.
Second half, they played ugly. 11 men behind the ball at all times, and big boot down field. They set their stall out to defend the 1-0 lead, and this they did with some ease.
2 months ago, they would have carried on attacking us, possibly scoring a couple of goals, but leaving themselves open to a counter attack. It shows how far we have come that they showed us far more respect to get their win.
I think it’s important to remember that Pritch has been playing through the pain barrier all season, and it has rarely been obvious from watching him. He was told a few months ago that his injury needed complete rest, however he thought it more important to remain available for selection inorder to help the team get out of the mess that we were in. If that isn’t worthy of being the first name on the team sheet then i don’t know what is. We saw well enough last season what use it is having some of the most talented footballers around, but not having the character and determination to go with it. There is not a shred of doubt in my mind that we NEED Pritch in this side week in week out. And i desperately hope that he gives us one more season next year, especially after the last 12 months of uncertainty around the Club. Throughout everything, Brian Pritchard has been the one shining light that Witton Albion has been able to boast about.
Pritch has held his hands up and admitted fault for the goal yesterday. He doesn’t have to do that. And he is gutted. But on Wednesday he’ll be the one putting his body on the line in every challenge and every block to try and make up for it.
All in all we’ve got a pretty threadbare squad. We are always going to have complete off days. A squad this thin (apart from one notable exception…!!) is always going to go from the sublime to the plain awful. But the important thing is that these players have shown exactly what they are capable of in the games against FCUM, Buxton, Ashton, and Ferriby. Do not forget that - regardless of how poor we may have been yesterday. We’re fighting against relegation this year, we aren’t competing for the title. We will have more off days than we have good days, that’s a fact of life at the bottom of the table.
Let’s put the negativity behind us and keep cheering the lads on until the end of the season. And if we do stay up, then it will quite possibly be an even better acheivement than promotion would have been 12 months ago - and like last year, our number 4 is the one who will be deserving of much of the credit.
Don’t think Pritch needs anybody to come to his defence about his displays. Also don’t think Danny or anybody else is havin’ a go a Pritch. All players make mistakes but defenders and goalkeepers mistakes often lead to goals. Pritch always gives 110% and would have been MoM if the goal had not been conceded. Only Pritch knows if will be up for it next season but I for one would like to see him here next season, maybe not playing as many games but very much involved even when he is not.
The truth of the matter is we were not good enough yesterday as we were not at Frickley. This team will probably escape relegation but if resources allow there will have to be plenty of changes of personnel if we are to achieve anything next season.
We lost yesterday because we were not good enough as a team - from 1 to 11. It takes more than one player to win/lose a game and you can argue that we should have been capable of equalising (but did not get a single attempt on target).
Andy and Robbo’s posts are good, it is not a matter of having to defend Pritch, his performances and consistency do the talking. He is big and ugly enough to forget yesterday’s game and be back at his imperious best on Wednesday night.
Interestingly he is loved in Matlock (and not because of yesterday’s mistake), their fans have rightly acknowledged how good he has been for Witton in the many performances against them over the years. It was nice to read and hear some of their comments.
The guy is a legend. FULL STOP.
Just logged in so I reckon the match report I’ve submitted to the local papers echoes much of what I’ve just read.
MATLOCK TOWN 1 WITTON ALBION 0 Saturday March 21st att. 330
TEAM: Speare; Scott, Pritchard, Booth (Dunne 88), Warner; Maylett (Thompson 78), Dunn, James, Lawless; Moseley & Lugsden (Black 60). Subs n/u Smith & Schwarz.
For successive away trips “a bad day at the office” was the summing up as the large contingent of Wittoners felt let down by an under par performance against a Matlock team themselves in need of points to escape the relegation dogfight.
The first quarter of the game saw Albion survive a couple of claims for a penalty, a Brian Pritchard tackle would have been a harsh decision but when Jamie Speare tangled with the lanky Danny Davidson a huge sigh of relief was well drowned out by the wrath borne down on Sheffield based referee Anthony Tankard from the home support. Before these events Albion had also had a lucky escape when Dene Cropper’s headed attempt crashed back off the upright.
With the wind making ball control difficult all the visiting forwards could muster was an angled attempt from Kieran Lugsden that went narrowly over the bar and a diving header from Mike Moseley that was blocked by a defender.
Albion did then enjoy a good 15 minute spell forcing a number of corners but unable to seriously test home keeper Paul Pettinger, a goalmouth scramble ensuing a high ball from John Lawless being the closest they got.
It was then somewhat against the run of play that the only goal of the game was scored. A minute before the interval Ross Hannah produced a cross from the left, Cropper’s headed attempt was well parried by Speare but to really sum up his team’s performance the ever reliable Pritchard stood still, maybe expecting his keeper to regain possession, and Davidson was in on the loose ball in a flash. The on-loan striker though was guilty of wasting a good opportunity in stoppage time at the end of the half.
Throughout the second period Town packed their defence well thus restricting Albion to rare opportunities the most notable seeing Moseley cleverly produce a run but his eventual shot was well wide of the target. The introduction of Lee Thompson, with just over ten minutes remaining, brought a ray of hope of salvaging a vital point but he like the rest of his team mates suffered as the mass of blue shirts snuffed out the attacks. Referee Tankard kept up his “spot-kick” consistency five minutes from time as Pritchard looked to have been hauled back following a Lawless cross from the right touch-line.
Witton’s back to back games with Whitby Town now take on an even greater importance as really Gary Finley and his charges needed a minimum of five points from the three games against sides still languishing below them in the table as the season enters it’s final four weeks.
I think we all know (or should) that when you have flair players like Lawless and Maylett in the team they tend to be brilliant or not at the races, its a fact in football that you accept players like this will have poor days and then the next game they will be world beaters, lets hope that the next couple of games they will be the latter because if they are we will win in style.
Andy Chad wrote:
[quote]Wasn’t at the game yesterday - but I KNOW Pritch was gutted about his part in the goal.
We win as a team and we lose as a team. One goal shouldn’t be that critical to us with the midfield and attacking options we have on the field over 90mins.
Danny love your posts and your opinion about our centre halfs,Pritch in particular - a few months ago you were saying Donnelly was the best player in the back four!!!
He gets in the team on merit, not sentiment.(GF doesn’t do sentiment) The report by the Matlock guy a few weeks ago at the home game is testimony to that.
If you can’t appreciate the honesty and ability of Pritch then you have learnt nothing about Witton Albion Football Club in the last few seasons since you have been watching us.
Lets pick ourselves up and make some noise on Wednesday!
Up the Albs[/quote]
I think you need to read a post properly Andy before you make comment, the way you have worded stuff seems like your having a go, but whatever, don’t really care, you blatantly haven’t read what I said.
As Robbo stated Pritch’s name should be and is the 1st name on the team sheet every single week. He has been a loyal servant and you can guarantee he will give 110% in every game.
And for your information Andy I followed Witton during the '92 season and went to Wembley, only been week in week out again over last 2 years so not disputing some of you guys are gonna have stronger feelings about Pritch but I do appreciate how much he has put into the football club.
When I talk about Man of the match I look at it from a point of view of who was the best footballer on the pitch in THAT game. Sometimes it is Pritch and deservedly so. Sometimes not so deservedly so (eg Alty away when he even shook his head himself when it was announced).
When I talk about the best defender currently in the squad thats MY opinion and you need to learn to respect peoples opinions Andy. If 100 new fans turned up on Wednesday and they came on here and said Paul Booth is our best defender, he was great, we loved coming to Witton going to come again. Are you going to ridicule them on here for not thinking the way you want them to think? Thats a great way to welcome new fans I’m sure they would stick around.
Me and Rabbit have different opinions a lot of the time but he doesnt have a go at me for having one and vice versa.
And yeah in MY OPINION Paul Booth is our best defender currently I have been to every game since he signed and he is being faultless. That doesn’t mean that I don’t think Pritch’s name should be first on the teamsheet though because I do.
Just my opinion though Andy if I’m allowed it. 
Yes well said Danny boy - too many Pritch coloured glasses watching Witton;)
Its a forum Daniel, its not mine or anyone elses and of course you’re entitled to your opinion - why wouldn’t you be?
It just seems from a number of your posts, that you seem to have an issue with Pritch.
I don’t look at him through rose-tinted glasses, and if I think he’s had a mare or a poor game I’ll talk to him direct!
Wouldn’t dare mention his penalty against V*cs though
I agree that Boothy has been superb, but wouldn’t tag him with a “best defender yet again” tag, as that in itself does a disservice to Danny and Gary as well as Pritch, who have also done extremely well.
I am delighted that you like Eli have seen the light and found your way back to Wincham Park, after a long time away and the more the merrier.
Danny, I have conversations daily re the finances at the football club with Neil and the Board, and believe me no-one wishes more than me that we could get another hundred on the gate and they will have a hundred different opinions cos thats football.
Let the keyboards fall silent and lets make noise when it matters - Wednesday night against Whitby
Hear, hear!
Big game Wednesday lets get behind the team.
Indeed Andy! I unfortunately have to miss Wednesday. But will be looking out for the score at 9.30.
Lets hope for 3 points and go up to Whitby on Friday in good spirits.
See you all in Whitby! :woohoo:
Part-time supporter Danny !