WITTON Albion made it four games unbeaten when Connor Hughes bagged them a late equaliser at home to Clitheroe.

Hughes struck in the 89th minute at the U Lock It Stadium to cancel out an 80th-minute opener from Clitheroe's Reece Webb-Foster.

Jon Macken's men still had a chance to snatch a late win, as two efforts were cleared off the line and a penalty appeal was turned down in the closing moments.

Albion's draw sees them climb three places to 11th in Northern Premier League West and are now only two points behind town rivals 1874 Northwich with a game in hand.

That game in hand will be away to Macken's former club Colne on Tuesday.

1874, meanwhile, were defeated 2-0 at Bootle, a sixth loss in eight games since winning at leaders Macclesfield on October 22.

The Greens will be kicking themselves though after looking dominant for long periods of the game and conceding a sloppy killer goal in the 90th-minute when the keeper's goal kick went past all the 1874 players and was slotted home by substitute Nivaldo Rodrigues Ferreira.

A defensive error had handed the lead to Bootle, with a back header not reaching keeper Tony Aghayere and Jack McGowan nipping in to flick the ball into the net in the 37th minute.

That goal came a little against the run of play and in the second half '74 failed to make the most of the possession they enjoyed.

The nearest they came to levelling matters was when a free kick by Ben Woods, who was a late replacement in the starting team for Ollie Broe, was tipped on to the bar by the home keeper.

Ben Hodkinson also struck the bar for the hosts midway through the second half.

Under 21s forward Luca Partington made his debut for 1874 off the bench late on.

1874 will next be in action at home to Colne next Saturday.