SIX weeks ago, it was impossible to imagine Witton feeling frustrated after playing promotion-hopefuls Warrington.

Albion had just lost at home to Prescot, a seventh successive defeat in all competitions.

Their supporters can now see how much progress has been made since under Carl Macauley; his players comprehensively outperformed their opponents for more than an hour.

And Yellows, victors in 12 of their previous 13 league matches and able to boast of shutting out opponents in five of the most recent ones, are not any old foe either.

Nor did they lack an incentive; a victory at Wincham Park would have sent them to the table’s summit.

Yet, by the end, they were grateful to referee Michael Hanley for his generosity in awarding a penalty with 15 minutes left that stunned the home team.

Captain Ciaran Kilheeney steered in the resulting spot kick after the match official judged Jon Dawson to have fouled Danny Ventre, securing for his side a share of the spoils.

It was more than their strangely disjointed performance deserved.

Had goalkeeper Karl Wills not been in outstanding form, they would have lost. 

And heavily too.

He stretched his long frame fully to divert Tom Schofield’s rasping half-volley over the crossbar on 14 minutes.

However his next act was to retrieve the ball from the net.

After Rob Hopley had flicked on Anthony Gardner's long throw, Schofield flashed a perfectly-timed header past the Yellows’ number one from close range.

Schofield curved his next attempt wide after picking the pocket of a Town player on the edge of the penalty area, then Dawson drilled past the far post.

Albion were aggressive, with Schofield and Billy Reeves an energetic and persistent midfield pairing behind an agile and fluid frontline.

Wills turned Danny Andrews’ attempt around an upright, then Menagh sliced into the side-netting after escaping the attention of ex-Witton full-back Ali Brown on the left.

A raid down the same flank ended with a penalty award in Albion’s favour in the seconds before the break, when Alex McQuade hauled down Alex Titchiner.

However Andrews’ attempt, struck true, was parried smartly by Wills.

Warrington boss Shaun Reid’s interval rallying call fell on deaf ears, for still his side did not rise from their slumber in the second half.

Instead they escaped again.

Titchiner, sent clear by Andrews’ pass, directed his shot too high when face-to-face with Town’s net-minder.

Kilheeney’s spot-kick conversion changed the game, providing a spark his side had previously lacked.

They ought to have had a second penalty when Ryan Ellison wrestled the goal-scorer to the floor, but Hanley did not hesitate to dismiss their appeal.

Afterwards Macauley was unsure how to feel.

The Albion boss promised a battle beforehand, but his pride was punctured by not landing a knockout blow.

“We were the better team, no question,” he reflected.

It says everything that, once an initial tinge of disappointment disappears, he can conclude as much so early in his tenure.

Witton (4-4-2) | Firth (GK), Gardner, Ellison, Wilson, Dawson (Brewster 90), Andrews, Reeves, Schofield, Menagh, Hopley, Titchiner Subs not used Garner (GK), Matthews, Roddan, Bainbridge Goal Schofield 15 Booked Schofield (foul)

Warrington (4-4-2) | Wills (GK), Brown, McCarten, O’Donnell, McQuade, Wharton (Rudge 63), Ventre, Turner, Gahgan, Kilheeney, Deegan Subs not used Robinson, Metcalfe, Collins Goal Kilheeney 75 (penalty) Booked Brown, McQuade (both fouls)

Referee Michael Hanley

Attendance 410