GREAT HARWOOD 1

UniBond Division One

NATHAN Comley-Excell signed in at Wincham Park with a second half strike on his debut, writes Nick Hallissey.

But this was a dull game overall, full of missed chances and frantic scurrying.

Eddie Bishop clearly viewed this encounter with bottom-placed Great Harwood as an opportunity to try out his two new signings, Comley-Excell and Congleton midfielder Kevin Garforth, whose paperwork was finished just hours before kick-off. As a result, his side looked speedy but disjointed.

Witton's first chance came after six minutes. Charlie Boyd's corner promised much, but Gleghorn's attempt to nod it home was pawed away by 'keeper and skipper Andy Johnston.

Johnston again proved his mettle after 25 minutes, getting a hand to a lobbed shot from Gleghorn and deflecting it over his crossbar.

Witton skipper Brian Pritchard reacted superbly to a surge by Harwood's midfield on the half-hour, breaking the assault down and forcing winger Jonathan Smith to rush his shot, which landed harmlessly on the roof of the Witton net.

Witton started the second half with some flair, Comley-Excell shooting over the bar on the first break.

On 52 minutes, Anane was brought down on the left flank, and culprit Neil Kennedy was booked. Richard Carter, though, knocked the resultant free kick well wide.

Five minutes later and Anane successfully released Comley-Excell to his left. Johnston unwisely surged forward, his back line adrift, and the new boy knocked the shot past him and safely home.

A dreary 10 minutes followed, with plenty of pace but no focus. Comley-Excell knocked in what he thought was his second, but he had handled the ball just before the shot, and the goal was written off.

So it was a shock for Witton when Harwood roused themselves off a Mark Henshaw corner on 77 minutes. A prolongued goalmouth scuffle ended when Neil Kennedy rose up to head home the equaliser.

Witton should have salvaged the match after a neat one-two by Gleghorn and Anane two minutes before time. But the over-eager Anane was offside when he beat Johnston from six yards out, and once again Witton were denied.

Harwood arrived - and left - nursing a torrid record of 13 away defeats this season. With or without the experiment, Witton should not have passed up such a gleaming opportunity to climb the table.

Witton: McGing, Anderson, Faulkner, Pritchard (c), Gee, Carter (Cox 68), Garforth, Boyd, Comley-Excell (Turner 75), Anane, Gleghorn.

Great Harwood Town: Johnstone (c), Pennington, Whalley, Kennedy, Smith, Peake, Otley, Baron, Pickup (Jones 75), Lightbourn, Henshaw.

Att: 323. Ref: DJ Birkett (Gainsborough), MoM: Charlie Boyd.

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