FC United 4, BLACKPOOL MECHANICS 2: FC United continued their unbeaten start to the season with another comfortable home win.

An attendance in excess of 2,000 was a pleasant surprise, given the Manchester derby was played at the same time, and the fans were not left disappointed as they witnessed yet another open, end-to-end match of attacking football from both teams.

The home side met with dogged resistance from the visitors.

However, Mitten superbly set up strike partner Patterson on 25 minutes, and the free-scoring forward calmly slotted the ball between the on-rushing keeper's legs to open the scoring for FC.

Blackpool tried to respond immediately, with Pearson's spectacular diving header flying the wrong side of the post as the visitors played themselves back into the game.

But Spencer doubled United's advantage just before half time. A corner was cleared towards him 30 yards from goal and he rifled a curling, dipping shot into the top corner of Speight's goal before the keeper could even move.

Protecting a lead is not in manager Karl Marginson's footballing philosophy, and the lead was increased further five minutes after the restart, when centre back Nugent forced home Torpey's corner from an acute angle.

Barely five minutes later, Nugent turned from hero to villain, as his clearance fell to Blackpool's Phil Thompson.

He controlled the ball before curling a shot beyond George in the home goal.

FC nerves became frayed when Thompson added a sublime second ten minutes later, cleverly chipping George from outside the area.

For a short time it appeared Blackpool may salvage a point; they could have equalised had George not pulled off a flying one-handed save to deny the visitors a third.

But United went straight down the other end and restored the two goal cushion.

Chadwick and Nugent challenged for a free kick and Mitten pounced to hammer a flying volley into the roof of the net and seal the victory and maintain their position at the top of the division.