And manager Mick Fuller must have known it wasn't going to be his night 45 minutes before kick-off, when leading scorer Richie Allen reported ill and was restrcited to a seat on the bench.

Two goals down in the opening six minutes, AFC had a mountain to climb against very lively visitors.

In truth Skelmersdale were just too well organised and had far too much firepower for a home defence which looked lightweight.

Manager Fuller admitted afterwards: "They were much sharper out of the blocks than we were and we conceded sloppy goals early. They outplayed us - simple as that."

Certainly Skelmersdale looked on a mission to cement their challenge at the top end of the table when they took the lead after four minutes through skipper and centre-half Michael White, who headed in after an Adam Wade corner was header on by Shaun Foster.

And it was a ball down the centre of Fylde's defence just two minutes later which let Skem top scorer Mark Houghton in to coolly pick his spot.

Fylde endeavored to get back in the game, and striker Mark Wane had thir best chance seven minutes before the break, when keeper Ryan McMahon fumbled a back pass, but the Fylde striker took one too many touches and the ball drifted wide.

The game was effectively out of reach five minutes after the break, when Fylde new boy Farrell Kilbane was adjudged to have brought down tricky winger Paul Woolcott.

The dangerous White dispatched the spot-kick, and in added time Fylde substitute Phil Doughty added more misery to the home side when he could only turn Kevin Towney's tantalising cross into his own net.

Fylde will simply want to erase this match from their memory ahead of Saturday's home derby with Bamber Bridge.

Fylde team: Stevenson, Mahoney (Urberschor 55), Howson, Kilbane, Shaw (Doughty 72), Palmer, Booth (Horsfall 46), Barnes, Penswick, Wane, Porter; subs not used: Allen, Nightingale.

*FLEETWOOD Town crashed out of the Lancashire FC Trophy with a 3-0 defeat at Clitheroe.

Town made 11 changes to the side which drew with Alfreton, as Nick Rogan and Adam Warlow returned from injury, and Andy Bell made the bench for the first time this season.

Teenagers Jack Duggan and Joe Camozzi lined up at the back, alongside loan signing Michael Hall from Blackburn's youth set-up.

Fleetwood had the better of the early chances but fell behind on 25 minutes, when Nathan Taylor pounced from six yards.

And when Andrew Naylor fired home a second six minutes before the break Town were right up against it. Clitheroe sealed their place in round three when captain Jason Jones capitalised on hesitant defending five minutes after the restart.