RADCLIFFE were well beaten in the opening home game of the season on Saturday as Witton Albion ran out 4-1 winners at the Neuven Stadium.

Scott Bakkor scored a first-half hat-trick to put the visitors in command with captain Matty Crothers giving Boro some hope with a late free-kick.

But Witton replied almost instantly with Will Jones making sure of the victory meaning it’s two defeats out of two for Lee Fowler’s side in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Premier Division having lost their opener 4-2 at Buxton.

On Saturday, Danny McKenna had blazed over the bar before Bakkor got his first four minutes in, cutting inside and firing home from outside the box to put his side in front.

Boro were two down inside the opening 10 minutes when having failed to deal with a cross they saw Jones tee up Bakkor who fired past Cameron Belford.

Fowler’s men then did show some signs of life, Andy Owens first bringing a good save from Chris Renshaw before testing the goalkeeper with another effort from distance that forced the Witton man in to a more routine save.

Isaac Baldwin then headed a free header over for the visitors before a the other end, Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro sent a shot narrowly wide.

The game was going from end to end and it was Witton who got the game’s crucial third goal just after the half hour.

Bakkor rounded off his hat-trick with a long ball over the top catching out the Boro defence and the striker rounded Belford and put the ball into the empty net.

To their credit, Boro kept coming with Owens testing Renshaw with a header before the Witton ‘keeper denied Akpa-Akpro with his feet after a fine run from the frontman.

The hosts picked up from where they left off in the second half, skipper Crothers going close with a free-kick that clipped the crossbar.

Akpa-Akpro then played Luca Navarro through on goal but Renshaw was there again to deny Boro.

Fowler’s side kept coming with a Javid Swaby-Neavin cross finding Akpa-Akpro but his volley flew narrowly wide of the mark.

Boro got their reward 12 minutes from time with Crothers sending a free-kick into the bottom corner to make it 3-1.

Any hopes of another remarkable comeback similar to the one against Workington in the FA Cup a few days earlier were dashed when Witton got their fourth on the counter.

Belford saved the initial effort before Jones put the rebound into the empty net to put the result beyond doubt.

Boro next turn their attentions to FA Cup action at Farsley Celtic on Saturday.