Before the trip to West Yorkshire on Saturday, Skelmersdale United manager Tommy Lawson described Westfield Lane as an “unwelcoming and hostile place to go”, so he was very pleased to return across the Pennines with a victory that not only extends Skelmersdale’s away record to ten points from a possible twelve, it sees them acquire the leaders “yellow jersey” in the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

Frickley did open well and after winning a free-kick on the right their striker Gavin Allott went near to forcing the ball home from close range.

Skelmersdale responded with a shot from Phil Mooney that was deflected wide and another from Conor McCarthy that home goalkeeper Ben Simpson held onto.

Frickley had what was probably their best chance of the game in the 29th minute. Allott outrunning three United defenders before firing low to Skelmersdale goalkeeper Martin Fearon’s left, but the diving Skelmersdale custodian was more than up to the task.

The remainder of the first-half was tight, with a shot from Mike Simpson that was blocked by a defender for a corner the pick of the Skelmersdale attempts.

Skelmersdale couldn’t have started the second-half much better, it taking them precisely 42 seconds to strike. Tom Ince found Kenny Strickland with a throw-in on the left, Strickland played a through ball between two defenders to Dan Mitchley, who squared the ball to the far post, and Curtis Thompson then unselfishly pulled the ball back into the path of McCarthy who blasted home from around ten yards. It was typical of Skelmersdale’s passing style of football.

Now, instead of the game being a midfield battle, Frickley had to push for an equaliser, but significantly this stretched the game more and Skelmersdale began to look more dangerous in attack too.

Frickley’s Brad Riley had a shot saved by Fearon, but down the other end Thompson came desperately close with a shot that seemed to almost skim the post.

Thompson was handicapped by a dreadful tackle in the 70th minute, but after a few minutes got to his feet and carried on, reportedly suffering from quite a severe cut to his ankle. Then Frickley had one ridiculous dive for a penalty turned away after the ball went across the face of goal. A yellow card should have followed, but all it did was make the home support moan even more.

A loose pass upfront in the 74th minute gave Skelmersdale a brief worry, but after a swift counterattack all substitute Sanchez Payne could do was blast the ball over the Skelmersdale crossbar.

Frickley pressed but were getting no change out of the Skelmersdale backline, with goalkeeper Fearon not really over extended, despite making a few saves.

In the 84th minute, Dean Astbury shook off the attentions of two defenders but sliced his shot wide, but by the end Skelmersdale had bagged a thoroughly deserved victory. They had defended solidly and created more of the few chances in the game. Significantly, they didn’t let the “Yorkshire welcome” handed out to visitors from Lancashire get to them and used it as a positive.

FRICKLEY ATHLETIC: Simpson B., Harrison, Stratford, Parkinson, Cyrus ©, Ible, Riley, Young, South, Allott, Williams (Payne, 54) Subs (not used) Barnett, Joseph, Jones, Hood

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Wylie, Ince, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Simpson M., Thompson, Strickland, Mitchley (Astbury, 80), McCarthy (Monaghan, 82), Mooney Subs (not used) Sumner, Lloyd, O’Reilly

Referee: Dave Storrie (Leeds)

Attendance: 262