Witton Albion 1

Winsford United 0

UniBond Division One

Tuesday, December 26

TWO average sides and an only just above average crowd made sure this derby didn't quite fit in with the festive party season.

It won't live long in the memory, although the anoraks will have raised an eyebrow at the historical significance of the result, which makes it 24 wins each and 24 draws in the clubs' 72 meetings.

Danny Graystone was responsible for creating this symmetry, but more importantly for keeping Albion's promotion hopes in good health going into the New Year.

For Winsford, this was their sixth game without a win and it was easy to see why, with little co-ordination between a stuttery defence and a lethargic midfield.

As for the strikers, a goal must have been high on Danny Worthington's Christmas list, but he wasn't to get the opportunity as he was left on the bench. Incidentally, he hasn't scored since being placed on a contract by the Blues when Leigh RMI showed an interest in him in October.

Steve Shaughnessy and Troy Hayder, once a Witton target, made their presence felt up front, but were starved of service.

Perhaps the best move of the match brought the only goal in the ninth minute, with man of the match Eddie Bishop at the centre of it. A one-two between he and David Anane led to Graystone having a shot from outside the area blocked by Bishop's knee.

The Winsford-born veteran retrieved the situation by easily skipping past Steve Hibbert before squaring for Graystone to slide in the winner from close range.

Creator Bishop was outstanding, and he also embarrassed Blues player manager Steve Shaughnessy, who fell for an outrageous nutmeg in front of his own coaching staff. The expression on the face of the boss suggested he was ready to walk straight into his dugout and watch the rest of the game from there.

But this wouldn't have been the best managerial move Shaughnessy has ever made because he did look the most likely source of an equalizer.

He latched on to Carl Rendell's 16th minute flick to volley inches over then rounded Gareth West three minutes later, only to see Dean Greygoose narrow the angle and hold the striker's shot.

However, it was Witton who always looked the more likely to get the second goal of the game and it was thanks to Winsford keeper Matthew Conkie they didn't achieve this before half-time.

He made a fine block from Anane's fierce left footer and clawed away a Charlie Boyd screamer which looked destined for the top corner.

Even when Conkie blotted his copybook by dropping a corner in the 44th minute, he still recovered to get in the way of Lee Cox's subsequent drive.

It says a lot for Winsford's lack of outfield class that Conkie was their man of the match, especially as he had virtually nothing to do in the second half despite Albion's continued dominance.

Greygoose was called into action on one occasion when Shaughnessy's angled drive from the left in the 55th minute was competently dealt with and United could have snatched a point with virtually the last kick.

Hayder surged into the area, but again the angles were against him as, with Shaughnessy well placed in the middle, he dragged a weak shot across the face of the goal.

Witton: Greygoose, Staley, Faulkner, Pritchard, West, Graystone, Heywood (Haw 61), Boyd, Bishop, Anane, Cox. Subs not used: Garner, Hennin.

Winsford: Conkie, Morley, Lomax, Mills, Hibbert, Lowe, Rendell, Langley, Shaughnessy, Hayder, Bermingham (Worthington 77). Subs not used: Hennessy, Scully.

Man of the match: Eddie Bishop (Witton); Matthew Conkie (Winsford). Attendance: 408.