Match reports
Witton Albion 6–0 Lincoln United
Five days after losing to Fleetwood, the league leaders answered with six goals against the bottom club. Adam Warlow scored his fifth hat-trick of the season and Witton passed 100 goals for the campaign.
Match facts
Witton Albion6–0Lincoln United
- Date
- 29 March 2008
- Competition
- Northern Premier League Premier Division
- Venue
- Wincham Park
- Attendance
- 366
- Scorers
- Junior Brown 26; Adam Warlow (3, the second on 74); Mark Peers 66; Brian Pritchard
- Witton Albion
- Kennedy; Kearney (Lloyd 75), Pritchard, Barras, Brownhill, Junior Brown, Alex Brown, MacPherson, Peers (Brodie 72), Warlow, Thornley (Rapley 72)
- Original club report by
- Phil Chadwick
Witton Albion's first home league defeat of 2007–08 had come on Easter Monday, 3–0 against Fleetwood Town. The following Saturday, 29 March 2008, they were at home again, this time to Lincoln United, who were bottom of the Premier Division and would finish the season there.
Background
Albion were still top and still had points in hand over Fleetwood, but the manner of Monday's defeat had raised doubts. Adam Warlow, the division's leading scorer, had gone seven matches without a goal. Jim Vince gave a debut to Junior Brown.
The match
Lincoln had the first attempt, which Jon Kennedy pushed round a post, and their striker Leon Wainman missed a clear chance midway through the half after a poor clearance from the goalkeeper. In between, Warlow had headed a Mark Peers corner against the crossbar.
The opening goal came on 26 minutes. Dave MacPherson kept an attack alive, Peers crossed and Junior Brown, arriving at the far post, scored on his first appearance.
After the interval it became one-sided. Warlow ended his barren run by putting away the rebound when Rod Thornley's shot was parried, and on 66 minutes he set up Peers for the third. MacPherson created the fourth for Warlow on 74 minutes, and the striker completed his hat-trick when sent clear on goal. Brian Pritchard headed the sixth from a cross by the substitute Steve Brodie.
What the goals added up to
The club's report recorded several landmarks:
- Warlow's hat-trick was his fifth of the season and took his total to 27.
- Pritchard's header was Witton's fiftieth league goal at Wincham Park in 2007–08, and the club's hundredth of the season in all competitions.
- The 6–0 scoreline repeated the result of the same fixture a year earlier.
- The win put Witton ten points clear at the top, although Fleetwood had played fewer games.
Dave MacPherson was named the club's man of the match.
Aftermath
It was the last comfortable afternoon of the run-in. Witton won their next two home matches, 1–0 against Guiseley and 3–0 against Frickley Athletic, but drew at North Ferriby United and then lost the final game of the season to Worksop Town. Lincoln United were relegated in 21st place with 29 points.
The attendance of 366 comes from the match report; the club's fixtures page left it blank. See the 2007–08 fixtures and results.