WITHAM TOWN...0, HUNGERFORD TOWN...0

(Ryman League Division Two)

Both teams needed maximum points from Saturday's match at Spa Road, Hungerford to make sure they are safe from relegation, and Witham in an attempt to catch the teams above them but they had to settle for one each and Witham are now almost certain of being relegated to division three.

Witham opened strongly with Ben Woolnough making some good runs down the right wing but there was nobody to take advantage of his good crosses.

Three good scoring chances were squandered by Witham in the first ten minutes, while at the other end Phil Jackman shot wide when well placed and home goalkeeper Chris Kriehn, Witham goalkeeper saved well from Micky Durkin.

Woolnough continued to be a threat to the visitors but both Tony English and Jamie Gold shot wide from his crosses.

Kriehn then did well to punch a free kick clear and Jason Brizell volleyed it back just over the crossbar.

Just before half-time Gold shot just wide for Witham after a good build up.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first and Durkin hit the Witham post following a free kick, but play was continually held up by the referee who gave a series of lectures for minor infringements and made four bookings and it came to a climax when Witham's Neil Grice was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Yet Witham finished well and near the end went close to scoring on three occasions, with English heading a corner just wide, Glen Driver robbed of the ball as he was about to shoot and Hungerford goalkeeper Stuart Walton denying Witham of three points with a tremendous one-handed save from Nicky Ashton in the 88th minute.

Witham first team are away to Marlowon Saturday in a Ryman League Division Two match, while Witham Reserves host Ware Town at Spa Road.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.