Albion net last-minute winner to beat Rushall

UniBond League First Division South

Rushall Olympic 0

Witton Albion 1

RUSHALL suffered late heartbreak as they succumbed to a last-minute goal against a combative Witton Albion side, writes Steve Stuart.

The Pics started brightly, with Mark Lowe finding plenty of room on the left-hand side of the pitch, but he overhit his pass with Damien Charie making an unchallenged run down the inside channel.

The Pics received a let off courtesy of the officials midway through the first half.

Carl Lamb advanced towards the Rushall area and fired home.

However, as the players turned back to restart, the referee, after consultation with his linesman, scrubbed the goal off for off-side.

Substitute Justin Nisbett hit the post with his first touch after coming on, after good work from Charie.

The Pics looked to make the breakthrough after half-time and a free-kick from Chris Gemmell was headed back across goal by Nick Amos.

Tom Starkey failed to make a clean contact with his volley but still forced the keeper into a decent save.

Gemmell was forced to make a good save with 20 minutes to go as both sides pushed forward looking for the winner.

Nisbett chipped the on-rushing keeper, only to see his effort go just wide of the post.

And there was sting in the tail of the game as Witton, who had won the reverse fixture in August with a last minute winner, repeated the trick at Dales Lane.

Gemmell found himself out of position after failing to get either enough distance or find touch with his clearance and when the ball was returned into the box Lamb was on hand to thread the ball past the covering Pics defenders on the line.

With the match heading into stoppage time, Witton, were reduced to 10 men as Brad Maylett was sent off for a second bookable offence, but it was too late to have any impact on the game and Albion held on to take all three points.