ROSSENDALE produced an assured and confident performance to take all three points from their UniBond League Division One visit to Wincham Park.
With a strong wind at their backs Rossendale started brightly and a 30 yard shot from Gareth Gardner nearly caught the home keeper napping as the wind took the ball just over the bar.
After 18 minutes Rossendale took the lead when Danny Heyes forced the centre half into a hurried back pass which the keeper could only push away and Heyes reacted first to put the ball into an empty net.
Witton then began to take control of the game and their forwards were proving a handful for the Dale defence and keeper Mark Andrews was called on to make several smart saves to keep Rossendale in the match.
Rossendale however, still looked like scoring as they hit Albion on the break and five minutes before half time Jason Heffernan raced clear but the defence recovered to smother the chance.
The second half was only two minutes old when Rossendale increased their lead, Gardner forcing home a cross from Heffernan.
This prompted the Witton side into all-out attack and with half an hour to go Andrews was hurt making a save from Anane and had to be taken off on a stretcher with a badly gashed ankle which required 28 stitches and looks like keeping him out of the side for several weeks.
Substitute Matt Houldsworth took over in goal and the Rossendale defence massed ranks and try as they may, Witton were unable to break through and when they did Houldsworth was up to the task.
With time running out Rossendale sealed the game when Gardner latched onto a long clearance and outpaced the Witton defence to slide the ball past Price to give Rossendale a 3-0 victory.
RESULT: WITTON ALBION...0 ROSSENDALE UTD...3
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