Longridge Town 8 vs Lostock St Gerards 1

Lee Ashcroft was delighted with the result and commented after the match: ‘Obviously Lostock aren’t having the best of seasons, but their results have been getting better. It was important to go into the match mentally prepared and we did that. It was important we got the first goal which we did and our football was very, very good.’

Talking on the link up play between himself and Brad Carsley, he said: ‘To be honest it’s something we’ve been working on. There’s lots more to come from us both playing together a strike force, whether it be us two, Jordan and Rick (Coar). Our link up play especially in the second half was some of the best we’ve shown between us in the four or five matches we’ve started together.’

He continued: ‘Winning games breeds confidence, there’s still a lot more to come more from this group of players. Some have only played 13 or 14 matches together. We’ve improved massively from last season. It would be nice to win a trophy here – it doesn’t matter whether it’s the league, the Richardson Cup or the Amateur Shield.’

The home side showed their attacking intent when Brad Carsley came close early on, being denied by the Lostock keeper. Town took the lead in the 11th minute; Matt Hind found Ryan McKenna who knocked the ball on before squaring to Ashcroft who tapped into the empty goal.

Town’s boss continued to be a threat linking well with Danny Wilkinson who was denied on the 19th minute. From the resulting corner Keiran Walmsley swung the ball in which directly crossed the line according to the referee and his officials.

Town added a third on the 28th minute and Ashcroft was again involved in the build-up. The ball was eventually squared to Brad Carsley who scored his first goal of the match with a simple tap in.

Shortly after, a poor pass out from the Lostock number one was snuffed out by Ashcroft; he played a nice one two with his strike partner Carsley. Ashcroft missed the first attempt but made no mistake with the rebound, neatly dinking the goalkeeper.

Lostock were struggling to contain Town’s attacking outlet in the second half. Their keeper produced superb saves to keep the score at 4-0 denying McKenna and Ashcroft from sealing his hat trick. But nine minutes into the second half a training ground move was put into practice. Walmsley played a short corner to Bowen who back heeled to Ashcroft; Ashcroft dinked in a cross for Brad Carsley who headed to Sam Marsh to get his second in two weeks.

Number six for Town was even better. Hind picked out Ashcroft who acrobatically flicked the ball onto Brad Carsley. Brad Carsley then raced through firing into the goal. A minute later he sealed his hat trick and scored his 15th goal in all competitions, when he again linked up with the boss.

Two minutes later a lapse in concentration allowed Lostock nothing more than a consolation. A cross from the right was finished well by Ollie Evans. The damage had already been done and more was to follow from Town as Joe Melling added an eighth on the 69th minute, side footing in from the edge of the area.

Town pressed for number nine with Ashcroft coming close when his header hit the post. Troy Carsley then came close to scoring against his former club, bursting into the box but he too was denied by the frame of the goal.

Town will want to continue their fine form into the next match which is a home league game against Crooklands Casuals – Sat 31st October, KO 2.00 PM.

Team:
1 Matt Hind
2 Joe Melling 69
3 Danny Wilkinson (16 Jordan Tucker)
4 Alex O’Rourke
5 Sam Marsh 56
6 Keiran Walmsley 20
7 Troy Carsley
8 Jordan Bowen
9 Brad Carsley 28/64/66 (12 Rick Coar)
10 Lee Ashcroft 16/31 (15 Sam Nightingale)
11 Ryan McKenna

Unused subs: 14 Conor Linighan, 17 Rob Batty