Danny Wisdom’s first goal for Skelmersdale was an important one as it gave United all three points from their encounter with Witton Albion and keeps Tommy Lawson’s side clear at the top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division.
Skelmersdale had started the day on the offensive and could well have scored inside 50 seconds, only a quality save (the first of many) by Witton goalkeeper Danny East keeping Connor McCarthy out.
However, in the third minute East could do nothing to save his team. A corner was cleared to a central area 35 yards from goal, Aidan Kirkbride shot, Wisdom who had been in the penalty area for the corner controlled the ball with one touch, swivelled and fired into the Witton net from 12 yards out.
Witton reacted well and Skelmersdale’s Martin Fearon made his best save of the match in the 8th minute diving to his left to keep out a Danny Andrews shot.
Skelmersdale had the majority of the possession between then and the interval and were unlucky in the 27th minute when a Kenny Strickland shot hit the post after Tom Ince and Wisdom had combined down the left-hand side to set him up.
Wisdom was again at the heart of another opportunity in the 42nd minute, holding the ball up and releasing Ince, but the left-wingers shot was kept out by East, via a save low dive to his right.
The second-half was more evenly balanced, Witton got onto the offensive, but despite the visitors seeing plenty of the ball, Skelmersdale still created more of the chances.
Eight minutes in Andrews put a shot over the crossbar then down the clubhouse end Ince put a shot wide.
Witton were struggling to make inroads into a well organised Skelmersdale defence and even their best chance was quickly neutralised. Full-back Cliff Moyo nipping onto a through ball only to find Rob McIntosh just as sharply pulling off a superbly timed tackle to thwart him.
One big positive for Skelmersdale was the performance of debutant Valtar Fernandes on the right, the Portugese player has recently moved to the area and in the 71st minute he put McCarthy in but he fired wide.
In many ways it was a little frustrating for the home support, Skelmersdale held the upper hand almost all afternoon but couldn’t find the second goal that would surely have secured victory before the final whistle.
Wisdom slipped McCarthy in again in the 74th minute, but a powerfully driven shot went inches wide, before an Ince free-kick was held onto by East as a posse of Skelmersdale players awaited the rebound.
At the end news filtered through that Buxton had lost at Ramsbottom, so Skelmersdale had extended their lead at the top of the table. Skelmersdale hadn’t been as fluent as usual, but there is a very valid excuse for that after their lung bursting victory at FC United the previous Tuesday, but Tommy Lawson’s side have a solid look defensively this season and although Witton probably had more of the play than was ideal, they didn’t give Martin Fearon a great deal to do between the Skelmersdale goalposts.

SKELMERSDALE UNITED: Fearon, Strickland (Byrne, 61), Wisdom, McIntosh ©, Bodie, Kirkbride, Thompson, Burton, Fernandes, McCarthy, Ince Subs (not used) Mooney, Sumner, Simpson, Golding

WITTON ALBION: East, Moyo (Barnes, 79), Shaw, Harrison, Gardener, O’Brien, Hancock, Powell ©, Koral (Rainford, 61), Davidson (Titchinor, 69), Andrews Subs (not used) Dawson, Corbett

Referee: Richard Holmes

Attendance: 300