WITTON ALBION 1

ROB Brown and Eddie Bishop urgently need to reassess their armoury if this game is anything to go by.

Because on Saturday, for all their possession and intent, Albion failed to display the firepower needed to shoot down Gretna's chances of victory.

Without the injured David Anane, the managerial pairing of Brown and Bishop chose Marc Hawkes ahead of Neil Lloyd as Mike Turner's striking partner.

It was a combination which failed to produce the necessary quota of chances, although Turner made amends with a stunning 83rd minute goal from the edge of the Gretna area.

To be fair, the supply line was restricted. Andy Lovelock was marked out of the game just six weeks after tormenting the very same defence in the Unibond League Cup while in midfield Nigel Gleghorn was forced to play too deep.

The real driving force for Witton was Richard Carter, who created a host of chances and had a number of efforts himself.

Indeed, he can count himself unlucky for not having scored. A close range 16th minute shot seemed to cross the line before being cleared but the referee waved play on.

It was the second example of rough justice for Albion following a controversial 10th minute decision which led to the home side's opening goal.

Shane Bird appeared to be two yards offside when he received the ball wide on the right but the linesman, who was caught out of position, didn't flag.

Bird's cross was turned in beyond Phil McGing by Mark Dobie.

In front of the biggest crowd of the season at Raydale Park, Albion mounted a number of attacks in the search for an equaliser.

An excellent diving header from Carter shortly after Gretna's opener was stopped fortuitously by the body of 'keeper Graeme Byram.

And a flick on by Charlie Boyd from a Gleghorn corner presented Turner with a glorious opportunity but he blasted over the bar.

The striker also headed over and found the side-netting with an effort before the interval.

Witton continued to hold the territorial advantage after the break, only to be caught on the break in the 57th minute. A break down the left was led by Mike Hodgson.

With debutante centre-back Steve Whitehead, signed on Thursday from Caernarfon, caught out of position. Hodgson was able to square the ball for Gary Milne, who scored home and away in the league against Witton last season, to score with ease.

Carter continued to orchestrate Albion's attacking threat and saw a good effort fly over the bar shortly after the hour.

Neil Lloyd was introduced for the ineffective Lovelock on 72 minutes in a bid to snatch something from the match. But it was the familiar figure of Turner who finally netted for the visitors.

A brave header by Carter found Turner on the edge of the box, who curled a teasing shot beyond Byram into the corner of the net.

Two minutes before the end and McGing kept Witton's slim chances of a draw alive with a finger-tip save from a Bird shot.

But, despite a host of corners for the visitors in the closing seconds, a point couldn't be saved.

Witton: McGing, Anderson, Whitehead (Bishop 89), Pritchard, Gee, Carter, Lovelock (Lloyd 72), Boyd, Gleghorn, Turner, Hawkes.

Goals: Dobie 10, Milne 57; Turner 83; Att: 138; Ref: Mr Tony Dean; MoM: Richard Carter.

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