Skelmersdale United 0

Whitby Town 0

WHITBY go into their huge Easter challenge with Salford City away on Saturday and title challengers Darlington at the Turnbull Ground, Monday, on the back of three straight clean sheets, after Tuesday night's hard fought draw.

Chris Hardy made one change for the trip to Lancashire with top scorer Mikey Roberts replacing the unavailable Matty Waters up front. Hardy decided that, with assistant boss Lee Bullock's flu still not 100% cleared up, that skipper Mark Robinson would continue at centre-half, following a solid display there on Saturday.

In a quiet first half, it was the hosts who crafted a good position following neat approach play, on four minutes, only for winger Chris Almond to volley high and wide from 12 yards. The offside flag then denied Scott Bakkor as he popped up on the left-edge of the Town box and stroked past Shane Bland.

The Seasiders' only real opportunity of note, before the half, came on 33 minutes when Dale Hopson's left-wing corner was turned goalwards by Kieran Weledji, at the back post. The ball looped up towards the opposite side of goal where Anthony Hume's header was nodded off the line.

Five minutes into the second half, the hosts looked to have had a good shout for handball turned down by referee Nick Greenhalgh. It was Bakkor on the left whose near-post cross struck Adam Gell, who had turned away from the ball.

Around the hour mark, in-form right wing-back Callum Martin, surged forward, cut inside and drove a low effort goalwards that lacked power and keeper Martin Fearon held low to his left.

Four minutes later, the lively Martin turned provider, clipping a well-judged ball over the top for Roberts to run onto and surprise Fearon with a first-time, 25-yard half volley that the gloveman had to push around his right-hand post, at full stretch.

At the other end, on-loan Accrington Stanley striker Max Hazeldine headed wide, when well set at the far post. Skipper Rob McIntosh then nodded over, from a similar position, following a left-wing corner.

Whitby came into the match increasingly as the game wore on, winning a string of corners as things opened up at both ends. Bland then blocked with his legs when Bakkor cut in off the left flank, having broken on the away side.

However, Town found the best opportunity presented itself right at the end. With all but Bland inside the Whitby half, the ex-Middlesbrough stopper swung a deep free-kick towards the left edge of the six-yard box where Hume headed down and Fearon produced a superb reaction save to parry wide. The following left-wing Hopson corner was turned over, swiftly followed by the full-time whistle.

It was a more entertaining game than the scoreline suggests, but neither side created enough from their final ball or finishing touch to break the deadlock. Town have still not defeated the North West outfit in five attempts, but, crucially, remain outside the division's bottom four.

Skelmersdale United: Fearon, Mooney, Corrigan, McIntosh (c), Rendell, Strickland, Vasallo (Bailey 71), Woolcott, Hazeldine (Tuck 74), Bakkor, Almond. Subs not used: Donaldson, Holden, Rowlands.

Whitby Town: Bland, Martin, McWilliams, Robinson (c), Poole, Weledji, Gell, McTiernan, Hopson, Hume, Roberts. Subs not used: Maughan, C Gardner, Bullock, Scarth, Dixon (GK).