Skelmersdale United returned to form with a bang at Stormy Corner, their comprehensive defeat of the men from North Yorkshire had an added bonus too, because second placed Curzon Ashton went down 4-2 against Grantham, Skelmersdale now have a five point lead that guarantees they will celebrate Christmas occupying top spot in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
Skelmersdale started promisingly. Twice Whitby goalkeeper Shane Bland kept out home striker Connor McCarthy, the first with his feet.
However, matters took a bad turn for Skem as a long punt down the pitch saw the ball bouncing toward the home goal in the 21st minute, defender Rob McIntosh set off in pursuit alongside Whitby forward James Brown, at the same time Skelmersdale goalkeeper Martin Fearon left his area, McIntosh got to the ball first and cleared for a throw-in, but his momentum caused a collision with Fearon. After treatment to both players, McIntosh got up and limped on, but Fearon had to leave the field because of a knee injury that could have worrying repercussions, defender Peter Wylie taking over the gloves.
Having a stand-in goalkeeper is usually a huge handicap to a team, but in Skelmersdale’s case it seemed to motivate them as it was to take Whitby until after the hour mark to give Wylie any serious trouble, by which time Skelmersdale were 3-0 up.
Dan Mitchley put an effort on top of the Whitby net and had another attempt saved by Bland before Skelmersdale opened the scoring on 40 minutes.
The first Skelmersdale goal was created by a fine diagonal ball from McCarthy to overlapping left-back James Short, who fired home at the near-post, earning him the sponsor Dave Jones man of the match award.
Two minutes later it was 2-0, after McCarthy forced the ball home from close range after a Scott Bakkor cross from the right set him up.
A buoyant Skelmersdale started the second period just how they ended the first and by the 54th minute they effectively had the game tied up with a third goal. The ball was lifted into the Whitby box from the right and Alan Burton headed it on, Mitchley who had the foresight not to follow almost everyone to right side of the penalty area, was in acres of space and duly slotted the ball past Bland from around 10 yards.
To their credit Whitby kept going and Liam Sheppard finally brought a save out of Wylie after a good build-up, followed by a 64th minute free-kick from Dale Hopson that was clutched by Wylie, but in between McCarthy hit the Whitby crossbar.
Play opened up in the latter stages, Niall Doran hit the Skelmersdale crossbar, but at the other end Bland, who is one of the better goalkeepers in the league saved from McCarthy and Mitchley.
Finally, six minutes from time McCarthy got the second goal his performance deserved, converting after Valtar Fernandes found him with a cross from the right.
After the match Skelmersdale manager Tommy Lawson described the victory as a “collective effort”, a view it would be hard to argue with after the flowing football produced by Skem.

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon (Short, 21), Fernandes, Wylie, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Strickland, Burton, Mitchley, Bakkor (Charles, 74), McCarthy Subs (not used) Thompson, Mooney, Meaney

WHITBY TOWN: Bland, Hassan, Robinson ©, Pell, Burgess, McTiernan, Brown M. (Mason, 64), Hopson (Doran, 71), Brown J., Clarkson (Waters, 53), Sheppard Subs (not used) Williams, Campbell

Referee: Philip Dermott (Warrington)

Attendance: 215