WITTON Albion closed in on the play-offs spots with a 3-0 win at Ramsbottom United that was achieved with 10 men and an injury setback.

Cameron Fogerty bowed out of the action in the 36th minute after bravely initially playing on from a heavy challenge and more disruption came 12 minutes into the second half when Harry McGee was sent off.

Jon Macken's side responded well to the harsh red card, which Witton will be appealing, when four minutes later Prince Haywood picked up on a United mistake and slid the ball home.

The game was put to bed in the 69th minute when Joe Duckworth slotted past the keeper after collecting a fine pass from Will Igoe.

Lee Jackson had put Albion ahead in the 19th minute when he bundled the ball home from a free-kick.

The victory moves Albion up to sixth place in Northern Premier League West, three points behind Clitheroe after their 1-0 defeat at Newcastle Town.

In the same division, 1874 Northwich held leaders Macclesfield to a goalless draw in front of a record home league crowd of 883.

Both sides had chances to win all three points, with 74 going closest when Reece Daley smashed a shot against the post in the 74th minute.

The home side also had three chances in quick succession in the 52nd minute when Fenton Green's shot was well saved, another one was blocked and then Cal Gardner's low drive was saved behind for a corner.

Macclesfield striker Ntumba Massanka had three good chances in the game that he will feel he should have done better with, once shooting wide with the goal at his beckoning call, putting another attempt wide and slicing a further effort late on over the bar.

Having won at Macclesfield earlier in the season, 1874 will be happy with their return of four points from the two meetings but this hard-earned point did not prevent them sliding two places down the table to 12th – leaving them nine points shy of the top five.

Meanwhile, Vics were undone 2-0 away to fellow promotion-chasers Bury.

Although Steve Wilkes' men had few chances in front of goal, they were still in with a shout of rescuing a point until Bury's second goal came against the run of play five minutes into added time through Harry Brazel.

Vics keeper Ryan Hamer, who otherwise had an excellent game, kicked a poor clearance straight into Brazel's path and the striker made no mistake in finding an empty net.

Hamer made some outstanding saves earlier in the game but he could do nothing to prevent Niall Cummins volleying home from three yards in the 40th minute after being left unmarked at the far post.

Bury also had the ball in the net in the 71st minute but the linesman's flag went up for offside.

Vics stay fourth, five points behind the all-important top-two places, while Bury are now only a point behind in fifth with four games in hand.