Witton Albion v Buxton Sat 29th Dec

First Team On the Park
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Just to let you all know that today’s match is the picture featured NPL game in Sundays Non League Paper.

UniBond Premier Division – Saturday December 29th 2007

WITTON ALBION 3 BUXTON 0 att. 557

Team: Kennedy; Coo, Pritchard, Barras, Brownhill; Peers (Wilson 73), Lloyd, MacPherson (Kearney 67), Brodie; Warlow (Rutter 81) & Thornley.

Man of Match Rob Lloyd

In hurricane like conditions Albion stormed to a 13 point lead at the top of the division by sweeping away a Buxton team that previously had only conceded seven goals in their eleven away matches.

Playing with the wind to their advantage the visitors were given two free-kicks to the left of the area. Both times the Bucks leading scorer James Turley, who’d started this campaign a Witton player, utilised the elements curling his efforts narrowly wide of the far right post.

However it was to be Albion that got the all important first break in the 16th minute. Steve Brodie released LIAM BROWNHILL down the left and the England “C” International took full advantage to gallop 20 yards before unleashing a low shot from just outside the area that flew across keeper Richard O’Donnell to nestle in the far right corner of the net.

Home custodian Jon Kennedy on 20 minutes came out to meet Paul Walker who’d been played through by Turley, the keeper initially blocked the effort and then beat the striker to the loose ball to clear for a throw-in. Two minutes later Kennedy did well again, this time forcing Walker wide after he’d appeared to be offside.

Witton extended their lead in the 33rd minute when ROD THORNLEY initially gained possession near half-way, he played a one-two with Mark Peers before advancing into the box and sending a very similar shot to the first goal past O’Donnell who at this time had not done anything aside from picking the ball out of his net.

Neil Ross spurned a good opportunity two minutes later for the Bucks when he sent a 20 yard free-kick from a central position well wide of the right upright.

Thornley showed great initiative from the 2nd half kick-off but O’Donnell caught his 45 yard cheeky shot. The points were well and truly sewn up in the 56th minute when ROB LLOYD produced sheer genius 25 yards from goal, he feigned with his favoured right foot before delivering a wicked curling shot with his left leaving he Buck’s keeper totally bemused.

In a rare Buxton sortie Tony Barras did well to block an attempt and from the rebound Turley tried an effort that flew high past the left post. Adam Warlow really should have done better in the 65th minute, after turning beautifully on what was now a very sodden pitch he somehow skewed his shot wide whilst Thornley also was wide in the next attack.

O’Donnell did eventually get to make some smart saves, denying substitute Ian Kearney by diving to his left and then smothering fellow substitute Tom Rutter’s shot. Witton though in the end made it 11 wins from 11 at home and extended their unbeaten run to 22 matches and now can also boast a fantastic points return of 58 from a possible 69 with a goal difference of 41!

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Juto add my comments, probably as good a Witton performance as I have ever seen since I got involved at the Club, very impressive indeed - well done to all the players, the subs as well. Keep up the god work.

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So this is divine intervention - I just thought it was down to Jim and Nigel’s coaching skills!

:wink:

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Awful conditions today, I said if we got to half time 0-0 I would be happy and what do we do go 2-0 up against the worst wind and rain I’ve ever seen, A few of their supporters were blaming the keeper for the 3rd goal, for me it was just a class finish and not one of them have mentioned the two great saves he pulled off second half. On the flip side well done to them for the away support was a nice change to see a few supporters behind JK.

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How do you sum up today?

Disappointing - the worst conditions I’ve seen in my limited time watching the club, bloody awful. A poor gate IMO as I was expecting atleast 600. the weather I’ve no doubt saw to that.

However - 557 - best of the season and even taking away the away support a fair home turnout.
the result - much much better than personally I was expecting and at times back to our best. After that result, Frickley and Worksop away no one can argue that we can’t deal with the conditions!

13 points clear at the new year - I’m scared I’ll wake up!

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[color=red]AWESOME[/color]

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Im my nearly 50 years now supporting the club the peformance against Buxton rates in my top ten best performances. Chatting to Nige yesterday at the supporters game I asked him if he’d put anything in the lads tea before the game. He said it was down maybe down to an extra spoonful of sugar!Anyway whatever it was can we do it again please against Eastwood!! We would have beaten any team on Saturday because we were just awesome and the most pleasing thing was the way we approached the game working for each other as a team. They were all men of the match for me and lets also give credit to Buxton who did not resort to the normal tactics most teams try against us (Kicking us off the park)!!
Don’t really want to single anyone out but I think a special mention for Rod is required as he came in for a bit of stick before this match and I’m made up for him that he answered any question marks with a really cracking goal and a hardworking display. The other two goals were brilliant and Lloydies was just so cheeky he started with his left foot put it on the right then put it back on his left to score totally mesmerising their defence.
I don’t think we have been playing as well as we can in the last 3 or 4 games but what this game showed is that we can raise our game against the better re[br][size=1]Posted on: December 31, 2007, 10:16:54 AM[/size][hr]As a footnote to Saturday my brother in law was at the match on Saturday and you could say he is a neutral as he’s from Ellesmere Port, but he thought the fitness level and the skill level of Witton was well above what you’d expect from a non league team. It was his first visit to our ground but he said that it would definately not be his last. He reckoned at £5.50 entrance fee it was a bargain and put many of the premier league money grabbers to shame. As he said "fantastic football from a set of lads who are only part time played in attrocious conditions absolutely awesome.
Lets keep it up at Eastwood lads I’ll be there with my car load and I’m only having a couple of drinks tonight to make sure I’m not over the limit for driving!! C’mon the Albion

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[quote]
Chatting to Nige yesterday at the supporters game I asked him if he’d put anything in the lads tea before the game. He said it was down maybe down to an extra spoonful of sugar!Anyway whatever it was can we do it again please against Eastwood!![/quote]

I think it must of been the lads working themselves up, shouting good-luck messages to the Supporters Team into my tape recorder before the game!!

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On a personal note Robbo well done on your Supporters Match project. I know you were a big driving force behind it and as I say I enjoyed the afternoon apart from the match result, but I’m chuffed for you that the real result was over a thousand quid for a very worthy cause!! My coaching skills are at your disposal should Jim and Nige have no time but would proably consist of a couple of pints in a pub somewhere and playing a better offside game!!

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Super Albion storm Buxton

by John Buckley, Mid Cheshire Chronicle

Witton Albion 3 Buxton 0

ALBION turned in a sunshine performance in the bitter wind and driving rain at Wincham Park on Saturday.

They were superb throughout, having a complete grip of Buxton’s attacks and providing three high class finishes that were worth their fans getting drenched for.

They had winners in all three departments: Brian Pritchard and Tony Barras were as reliable as lighthouses in the storm; Dave MacPherson resolute and resourceful in midfield and Rod Thornley tireless in attack.

Conditions were dreadful with the rain sweeping from Wincham to Lostock ends, which Buxton opted to use in the first half, though it proved of little help to them, other than territorially.

They ended the half and indeed the match without a shot on target.

Unitil the closing 10 minutes there were only three efforts of accuracy and all zipped past Buxton goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell’s right hand into the corner of the net.

In the closing stages, when Buxton were out on their feet, O’Donnell made four fine saves, from Steve Brodie, Ian Kearney, Thornley and Tom Rutter.

The outcome was already decided with Albion’s three goals coming against a side that had conceded just seven in their previous 11 trips.

Liam Brownhill cut in from the left wing to drill the ball home from the edge of the box in the 16th minute.

Thornley’s finish in 33 minutes from a sharper angle inside the area was expertly executed.

And Rob Lloyd was twice involved in the build up to his 56th minute strike, collected the ball for the third time before letting fly.

Soon after Adam Warlow controlled and brilliantly turned on a Mark Peers cross, but shot wide and Thornley was also wayward which, with the later missed chances, meant Albion fell two short of scoring their 1,000th home UniBond League goal.

But they stretched their unbeaten league run to 23 games and moved 13 points clear of Fleetwood and 17 ahead of third placed Marine, over whom they also have a game in hand.

WITTON: Kennedy; Coo, Barras, Pritchard, Brownhill; Peers (Wilson 73), Lloyd, MacPherson (Kearney 67), Brodie; Thornley, Warlow (Rutter 81).

Att: 557