Match Report: Longridge Town 1-3 Vauxhall Motors

Longridge exited The Buildbase FA Vase at the first hurdle going down 3-1 to Vauxhall Motors in a frustrating game at The MRG.

Town started brightly enough with Captain for the day Richie Allen stooping low to head in Alex Murphy’s cross after just 34 seconds.
Unbeknown to the Home supporters that was probably the highlight of the day as the game changed for the worse just 8 minutes later.

Allen went in for a block tackle, having overrun the ball, and was judged to have gone 'over the top' by the referee.
The away bench reacted in predictable style as 'the victim' writhed in pain and, having consulted his assistant, the referee produced a red card for Richie, and
a yellow card for Danny Wilkinson for his part in a 20 man melee.
So 1-0 up but down to 10 men, against opponents who seemed determined to reduce that number to 9 men at the earliest opportunity.

Town received 3 more yellows to the dismay of all present, but were defending well and Dovey was untroubled until hesitation in the Town defence allowed Kiwanda to nip in and score the equaliser after 38 minutes.

1-1 at Half Time, after a fractious first 45 minutes, and it was going to be difficult for Town to play their normal game in the 2nd half, being a man down.

Vauxhall's direct style began to wear down the Home defence and Kiwanda added a second from a corner just after the hour mark, 1-2 down and Longridge began to tire.

With a referee struggling to control what was a horrible game, chances were few and far between for Longridge with Jay Hart isolated up front.

The ref produced a yellow card for diving by the visiting forward as the card count evened up a little, but the game had been spoilt as a contest long ago and Carlin added a 3rd for Vauxhall with 5 minutes remaining as Town once more conceded from a corner.

Full Time came and for the first time this season, the crowd went home unhappy at what they had witnessed, not with their team but with the game as a contest.

One to draw a line under on and off the pitch, in a disappointing and not very enjoyable day.

Town are back in League action next weekend as Town travel to Steeton where a win would see them with a chance of going second in the Hallmark Security NWCFL Division One North.