Gretna 1 Witton Albion 3

UniBond Division One

WITTON heeded boss Benny Phillips's call to not let the season just fizzle out with a fine victory over Gretna.

Albion took the lead in the 33rd minute when Rendell intercepted Gavin Skelton's short back pass and slotted it past David Mathieson from a tight angle.

Paul Crompton could have doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time but his overhead kick from Danny Heys's cross went just wide.

But seven minutes into the second half it was 2-0 when Steve Mallinson worked brilliantly down the right to get the ball in to Rendell, who turned and fired just inside the post for his 24th of the season.

The scoreline reflected how much Witton were now running the show and only a good block by Phil Coxall prevented Heys making it three in the 68th minute.

However, seven minutes from time Wes Simpson was fouled but then conceded a fre-kick for retaliation. He went into the book with the protesting Colin Rose and Gretna scored from the set piece.

The ball was only half-cleared as far as Mark Henney and he lobbed it back in from 15 yards to make it 2-1.

However, the two-goal lead was restored when Rendell burst past three players before the ball ran loose for Mathieson. But the keeper spilt it at the feet of Simon Burton and he finished it off.

Witton: Whitehead, Hughes, Barrow, Simpson, Cunningham, Clegg, Rose, Crompton, Rendell, Heys, Mallinson (Burton 86).

l ALBION complete their UniBond Division One fixtures for this season with two more away games.

The first is at North Ferriby United on Saturday (3pm) then they finish off at Eastwood Town the following Friday.

The next big date in the diary after this is Sunday, May 5 when a host of ex-players return to Wincham Park for Brian Pritchard's testimonial.