WITHAM Town remain second in Pitching In Isthmian League division north following a 0-0 draw at Wroxham, writes JIM PURTILL.

The match at the Ginger Pickle Arena will not be remembered for its quality and neither side will look back on it with much relish.

But the point extended Witham’s unbeaten run to seven league matches and clean sheets are the bedrock of football success.

Garry Kimble’s men have acquired the knack of collecting league points, even when their performances lack quality.

Archie McFadden and Kamani McFarlane, who have excelled in recent weeks, were missing from the Witham line-up and the side was further weakened by a red card shown to defender Ryan Dear, early in the second half.

(Image: NIGEL HAKES)

Witham’s performance was not one of their better displays this season but they showed enough defensive resistance to record their third successive clean sheet.

The match started slowly and it took time before there was a significant attack from either side.

In the 13th minute, Andrew Sesay fired over the bar after Dear had headed down a free-kick while at the other end, Witham goalkeeper Harry Fairs did well to save Travis Dodsworth's free-kick.

Witham’s Rowan Dorling picked up the ball in defence and after a determined run found Sesay, who shot wide.

Witham’s attacks grew increasingly dangerous and Liam Whipps's excellent run on the right led to Desse Kasinga-Madia shooting over.

(Image: NIGEL HAKES)

Fairs saved well to divert the ball for a corner just before half-time and Wroxham began the second half in more determined manner, putting the visitors under pressure from the restart.

Witham looked uncomfortable and were hit with a double blow in the 55th minute.

Wroxham attacked from the left and as the ball flashed across the penalty area, it hit the sprawling Dear a few yards from the goalmouth.

The referee awarded a penalty for handball and dismissed Dear, which looked a very harsh punishment in the circumstances.

If the ball hit Dear’s hand, it did not appear to have been a deliberate action.

To Witham’s relief, the penalty hit the left post and bounced away to safety. It seemed appropriate on a day when there was little attacking quality on show and neither side displayed a cutting edge.

(Image: NIGEL HAKES)

As the rain fell and visibility worsened, the sides took turns to attack but the collective lack of guile allowed both defences to dominate.

Wroxham continually pushed forward to exploit their numerical advantage but Fairs was outstanding while Dorling put in one of his best performances for Witham, playing a major role in the rearguard action. Ollie Bell offered a useful outlet for the visitors’ attack.

After 78 minutes, he ran from box to box and swapped passes with Isaac Skubich before taking a shot that was well saved by Wroxham keeper, Ollie Sutton.

Too often when Witham broke out of defence, they were ponderous in possession and lost the ball without troubling Sutton.

In added time, Fairs made a crucial save and Wroxham’s James Everett was dismissed for showing dissent as the spoils were shared.

It is a measure of Witham’s achievement this season that their total of 35 points so far equals their total for the whole of the 2022-23 campaign and exceeds their totals for every year before that, since 2017-18.