TONY Sullivan, Witton’s manager, said his side’s slender defeat at Skelmersdale had left him ‘gutted’.

Albion’s performance was probably the best of his short tenure, but Daniel Wisdom’s goal in the third minute proved enough for the leaders to record a sixth successive league win.

It leaves their guests next to bottom of the table.

“I don’t feel under pressure,” said Sullivan.

“This isn’t a quick fix, and we’ll need time.

“My job is to make sure we stay in this division; it’s as simple as that.

“This is the most gutted I’ve felt in a long time after a defeat.

“Skem are a good side. They have pace, youth, flair – all things we should try to accommodate in our side.

“They have no stars, just a group that grafts.

“We did exactly that too.”

Sullivan picked new recruits John Shaw and Daniel O’Brien from the start for the first time, handing a full debut as well to front man Michael Koral.

In the second half, substitutes Sam Barnes and Jamie Rainford made a first appearance in the club’s colours too.

“We had a plan, and looked organised,” added Sullivan.

“People will look at our starting line-up and think we’ve set up negatively, but we attacked with three or four players when we could.

“I know there will be questions about why I left out Alex Titchiner, but we all saw that Mike Koral took his chance and justified his place in the team.

“I want competition for places, to have balance in the squad. Bringing in who I have has given me more options.”

Despite an improved performance, Witton’s sequence of defeats in the Premier Division now stands at eight.

The club record is 11, set back in 2008.

Sullivan said: “We’ve got to me more consistent, we know that.

“That’s what I want to see [at Curzon Ashton] on Monday; if we show the same desire to work hard, then we’ll do well.

“I wanted to see a response for the fans after an unacceptable performance last week.

“I think they got that.”

Witton visit second-placed Curzon Ashton on Monday, kick off 7.45pm.

To read a report on Saturday's game, click here: http://bit.ly/ZzY0lH