After a dominant start to the game for the Blues, the performance got the opening goal it deserved as Bradley Fewster's long-range effort broke the deadlock before Jacob Hazel doubled the lead with an emphatic free-kick.

A second half flurry of goals saw Jonathan Burn extend the lead before James Butler got one back for Mickleover. Jacob Hazel then got his second of the afternoon, with Rhys Dolan scoring what was mere consolation in stoppage time.

Whitby's win keeps them sixth in the table, level on points with Warrington Town who currently occupy the final play-off spot.

Josh MacDonald created the opening goalscoring opportunity of the match as the Hartlepool United loanee fired a free-kick over the crossbar from around 20 yards out.

Fewster, who would score the opener minutes later, was unfortunate not to score when he fired into the hands of after the receiving the ball from Hazel following some neat work between the two.

Whitby, who had been playing their opponents off the park in the early stages, got themselves deservedly ahead on 19 minutes when Fewster turned and struck into the bottom corner of Doherty's goal after an excellent interception from Adam Gell saw the ball fall kindly for the Town forward.

Before half-time, Town extended their lead as Hazel's long-range free-kick found the back of the net as it curled away from Doherty. Hazel would have plenty of involvement in the second half as well.

The first half was rounded off when Fewster struck the crossbar following a top save from Doherty.

Straight from the re-start Whitby made their second half intentions clear and could have added a third when Lewis Hawkins sliced an effort into the side netting.

In the 50th minute, Dexter Williams fired a cross-cum-shot towards goal but it evaded everyone in the box and went behind for a goal kick.

Whitby then extended their lead in the 59th minute as Burn registered his first goal for the club since joining from West Auckland Town in the summer of 2020.

As Mickleover failed to deal with a corner, the ball fell kindly on the edge of the area for Hazel to be set up. After his initial shot was parried by Doherty, Burn was on hand to fire the rebound into an empty net.

Whitby could have had a fourth four minutes later when Soni Fergus was brought down in the box but Hazel was denied by Doherty from twelve yards.

Town's three goal lead was reduced with 15 minutes to play, though, as Butler scored after going up relatively unchallenged to head home from a corner from the right.

With full-time looming, Whitby found themselves a fourth goal through Hazel, who rolled the ball beyond Doherty after Malik Dijksteel's pass.

A late fightback was to come from Mickleover as Rhys Dolan fired a free-kick into the bottom corner of Shane Bland's goal.