ALBION fought off a tremendous second-half assault from Fleetwood Town at the Britannia Carpets Stadium to secure a home tie against Alsager Town in the next qualifying round of the FA Trophy on November 4.
Having grabbed a two-goal cushion seconds before the interval, it was a nail-biting second-half for the home fans as the visitors, supported by a very vociferous coachload of followers, strived to force a replay.
Town produced the first piece of goal-mouth action with a corner kick from Jamie Milligan which was palmed away by Jon Worsnop. The keeper then caught the ball from the subsequent corner, released it quickly to Shaun Whalley who ran at the defence before squaring the ball right into Mark Peers' path.
The winger cleverly gauged his run into the box before sending his shot across Mike Hale and into the net off the far post.
Milligan again went close for Town before Mike Moseley delayed shooting with his right foot and only succeeded in finding the side netting with his left peg. Hale produced a brave, diving save at Moseley's feet, while at the other end Phil Denney almost caught Worsnop out with a lobbed attempt.
With the half-time whistle seconds away Peers broke down the right, sent a cross into the danger area that Hale fumbled and Moseley was quickly on hand to bundle the ball over the line with his midriff.
Whalley was unlucky seven minutes after the break when his shot struck the upright but he was then guilty of failing to kill the game off when he skewed his shot when perfectly placed, after receiving Rob Lloyd's pass.
Fleetwood then took charge and pulled a goal back on 55 minutes when Nathan Pond ran in unchecked to power a header home from a corner kick. Less than five minutes later Denney saw his headed attempt comfortably held by Worsnop.
But as Town pushed forward in numbers it needed a timely intervention from Martin Moran to block Moseley's effort following a downward header from substitute Adam Warlow.
With the game going into stoppage time Ged Smith produced a wicked cross that Worsnop, having been unsighted by his own defender Tom Spearritt, somehow managed to push out for a corner kick.
Witton: Worsnop: Bowler, Pritchard, Spearritt, Brownhill; Peers, Lloyd, Brown Alex (Warlow 83), Connors, Whalley (Frost 83); Moseley (Jones G 89). Subs Brown, Alistair, Gahgan.
