WITTON Albion slipped further into the relegation mire last night (Weds) after a goal in the final ten minutes of their six-pointer at Whitby Town sealed an unthinkable 1-0 defeat.
Craig Bishop’s goal on 81 minutes at the Turnbull Ground means that the hosts leapfrogged Witton into 19th place meaning that they now have to rely on other teams slipping up to escape relegation to the UniBond First Division North.
Assistant manager Lee Coathup said: “To be fair we dominated the game and had two or three great chances to score. We missed an open goal and a one and one and we have then been punished.
“In football if you don’t take your chances you get punished.
“We can’t fault the lads effort and they deserved to win the game. We’re all pretty deflated this morning.
“But we have got to pick ourselves up and treat Saturday’s game like a cup final. You never know – strange things happen in football.”
Albion, now trailing Whitby by a point, host Guiseley on Saturday at Wincham Park (3pm) knowing that only a victory, coupled with a draw or a defeat for Town who host second-place Ilkeston, will give them a chance of staying up.
Visitors Guiseley are still not guaranteed a place in the Premier’s play-offs while Whitby’s opposition Ilkeston still have a chance of claiming the league title and automatic promotion.
If results go Witton’s way then Cammell Laird’s appeal against the league’s decision to expel them due to their Kirklands ground not being up to standard will decide their fate.
If the Lairds, as expected, fail in their appeal against the ruling, then Albion may stay up even if they finish fourth from bottom.
