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United undone by Albion

FC United slipped to an agonising 2-1 defeat at struggling Witton Albion on Saturday afternoon in a game they had enough chances to win.

Lee Thompson broke the deadlock for the hosts a minute before half-time but Eastwood Town’s on-loan striker Tristam Whitman got the equaliser for United with his first goal for the club on 57 minutes.

The Reds hit the woodwork several times as they ventured forward, determined to find a winner but it didn’t come and then Neil Black struck at the death to cause quite an upset.

Despite playing at Wincham Park three times previous to Saturday’s encounter, this was the first time FC United had played Witton here. On paper, United should have perhaps beaten Albion, as they did earlier in the season at Gigg Lane, but the Reds were made to work hard in front of the 1,030 strong crowd.

The early stages of the game saw slight United pressure as a ball played from Jerome Wright to Kyle Wilson in the box was hit hard and low by the UniBond League’s leading goal scorer and deflected wide for a corner.

Witton began to build up around the FC United area as the half wore on, pressuring the visiting defence and searching persistently for a way through. However, Margy’s men still continued to look for an opening goal themselves and a Rob Nugent header from a corner looked set to go in, if not for the cross bar which would become a recurring barrier for United throughout the game.

In a fairly uninspiring first 45 minutes for United, it was Witton who ended the half strongest and they went in at the break with the lead. A corner was swung in from the left, meeting Witton’s Lee Thompson for a free header on goal. Thompson sent the ball into Sam Ashton’s top right hand corner on the stroke of half time to put Albion 1-0 up.

The United defence was once again put to the test as the second half began with Witton looking intent on increasing their lead. They could have done so with a volleyed shot on goal inside the FC area. Fortunately for the Reds, the woodwork on this occasion worked in United’s favour as the ball bounced out off the underside of the bar and was eventually cleared.

On 57 minutes, FC United equalised, courtesy of a Tristam Whitman goal in his first competitive start for the club. Dave Neville played a good ball through to the on-loan striker who coolly carried it past the keeper and slotted it into the back of the Witton net.

The goal obviously encouraged the Reds and they began to fight to take the lead, upping the tempo and pressing forward. This said, with the game level and both teams seeming unwilling to settle for a point, United were still required to defend against the oncoming Witton. Albion’s Thompson came through on goal and could have scored, if not for an excellent block by Ashton.

The woodwork once again played a role in United’s bid to score when a corner coming in from the left was put onto the bar by captain David Chadwick. The ball bounced out to Simon Carden whose attempt to on goal was also denied by the cross bar.

Following a substitution where Adam Carden was replaced by Carlos Roca, Wilson looked set to score to put United in the lead. The big forward cleverly slotted the ball under the advancing keeper and it looked to be heading in. Unfortunately, the ball met the right post and rolled along the goal line, denying the Reds the chance to go ahead.

Following this, FC were forced to make a change when an injured Nugent had to be replaced by Adam Turner in the centre of defence. Minutes later, Simon Carden made way for Neil Chappell.

In a further chance for United, Roca added to the list of the FC United line up to be denied by the woodwork, hitting an excellent strike onto the left hand post.

As the 90 minutes of normal time drew to a close, Witton were awarded a controversial free kick on the right following a Neville booking. The ball was played in and picked up by Black who sent it goal wards. As Ashton’s hands failed to reach it, the ball trickled over the line and it was ultimately a scrappy goal to concede on 90 minutes.

Despite a six minute period of added time, United were unable to offer anything in the way of goal and as the full time whistle blew, the Reds would have surely been left wondering how so many chances had been denied, albeit by the woodwork on many occasions, in a much improved second half performance.

Report by Vic Fullen.

Witton Albion:
1. G Smith
2. G Scott
3. D Warner
4. B Pritchard ©
5. P Booth
6. O James
7. K Lugsden
8. A Dunn
9. L Thompson
10. N Black
11. J King

12. T Dunne
14. D Schwarz
17. D Millington

FC United:
1. S Ashton
2. D Warrender
3. S Garner
4. D Neville
5. D Chadwick ©
6. R Nugent
7. A Carden
8. S Carden
9. K Wilson
10. J Wright
11. T Whitman

12. T Turner
14. C Roca
15. N Chappell
16. P Dieyte
17. A Turner

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First Posted ~ 15:18 Sun 25 Jan 2009
News ID ~ 2036
Last Updated ~ 15:08 Mon 21 May 2018