The Seasiders had a good confidence boost in the build-up to the game after knocking York City out of the North Riding Senior Cup, but this performance resembled the one put in the previous week against Lancaster City.

Atherton, who closed the gap to the play-off spots with this victory, were worthy winners and took full advantage of Town's poor play throughout the 90 minutes.

The defeat moves Lee Bullock and Nathan Haslam's side down to seventh in the table and they still wait for their first points of 2022.

The game got off to an okay start for Whitby tough with Jake Hackett going close from a long-range free-kick and Coleby Shepherd putting a dangerous cross into the box.

Atherton were then given a great chance to take the lead though when Gareth Peet went down in the box. The decision to give the penalty was soft but Danny Lafferty took full advantage and smashed the ball down the middle of the goal.

Shane Bland was the busier of the two keepers after conceding the opener, saving well from Joel Amado's downwards header, and then holding Declan Daniels' long-range strike.

With ten minutes to go until the half-time break, Atherton doubled their lead. Clive Smith, Colls' attack-minded full-back, got onto the end of Daniels' cross and headed home when unmarked. The power was what took the ball beyond Bland.

Whitby, though, should have had a penalty of their own based on the decision from referee, Glen Hart to award Atherton one earlier in the. Despite Bradley Fewster being wiped out inside the area, the official was far from interested.

Within five minutes of the restart, it could have been three when Nathan Dyer hooked Amado's header across the face of goal off the line.

In general, the second half was scrappy and Whitby gave Danny Taberner little to worry about, barring Malik Dijksteel's late scuffed effort. Frustrations flared with late challenges from Adam Gell and Fewster seeing them go into the book.