Witton Albion 3 Leek Town 0
WITTON’S latest Wincham Park victory had all the hallmarks of authority and class of a team approaching the championship. So much so, in fact, it rendered the contest a formality.
Leek were not up to it. They had one chance - and should have taken the lead with it - and otherwise Albion remained in a cool control that made goals inevitable.
The visitors numbered former Middlewich and Winsford striker Rob Hopley and ex-Witton men Dave Tickle, Anthony Danyluk, Carl Frost and goalkeeper Phil McGing in their side and the last of these should not have taken part in the game beyond the 45th minute.
It was then Adam Warlow took a Mark Peers through ball into the box and around the ’keeper only for McGing to pull him down. It would have been a simple tap-in for Warlow and it was a clear sending off but the referee showed a lenient yellow card. Mark Peers dispatched the penalty.
Earlier McGing had made a fine save from Warlow and Nick Ward had made a superb tackle to deny Warlow and matthew Johnson did the same to Peers. Earlier still James Walshaw blazed Leek’s chance over the bar from close range.
Albion remained unflustered, deserved their half-time lead and increased it in the 48th minute.
Rod Thornley engineered space in midfield and neatly found Rob Lloyd advancing on goal. The midfielder rolled the ball past McGing.
Albion relaxed and brought on two more centre forwards - Kev Rapley and Tony Evans - to play alongside Warlow. But it was midfield where they were especially dominant, Lloyd, Brown and Dave MacPherson at the top of their game.
In the 85th minute the scoring was concluded. Several players taking part in a complex move that twisted and turned the Leek defence until Evans played in MacPherson who scored with a bottom corner finish from 10 yards.
A Leek fan, who racially abused Cavell Coo, was reported by Brian Pritchard and Tony Barras to referee Pollock, who told him to leave the ground, which he did, escorted by a steward.
WITTON: Kennedy; Coo, Barras, Pritchard, Brownhill; Peers (Evans 80), Brown, Lloyd (Brodie 84), MacPherson; Thornley (Rapley 73), Warlow.
Att: 454.
