Longridge were comfortablely beaten by play-off chasing West Didsbury and Chorlton.

Town held firm in the first half, but four second half goals meant the visitors left with all the points.

There were a handful of changes to the side.

Debutant Joe Blake was straight in at right back, after joining on loan from Preston North End.

Ethan Gough also returned from illness and Jack Anderton returned from suspension.

Daniel Wilkinson started his first game in over a year following his ACL injury recovery.

The visitors started very strongly.

Despite that, Town had the first shot, with a 25 yard effort from Josh Ashe being held by West goalkeeper Balyleigh Passant.

Miller Megson then had to make a crucial block, preventing a close range effort from going in.

Wilkinson then made a similar challenge, blocking off Ben Elliot.

Kai Crowe then made his first of many saves, tipping over a powerful effort from Lazenbury.

All of this within the first ten minutes.

Aaron Hewitt headed into the side netting as the result of three successive Longridge corners.

Anderton then fired wide as Town came forward again on the counter.

Wilkinson was then the first in the referee's book after dragging back West's Brandon Dawson.

Crowe did well to push the resulting Harvey Roberts free kick round the post.

After the resulting corner came to nothing, Crowe smashed it long towards Anderton who saw his first time effort parried back out by Passant.

As Elliot fired into the side netting just before half time, the away side began to take control.

As a result, they started the second half perfectly.

Elliot latched onto a ball from Roberts, rounded Crowe and opened the scoring.

Anderton attempted an acrobatic effort from the edge of the box after connecting with an A.Hewitt cross, but Passant was able to gather it.

Roberts then doubled his sides' lead after rolling it in off the post from the left side of the penalty area.

Thing then went from bad to worse for Longridge, as Paul Riley headed into the far corner from another Roberts delivery.

Lee Ashcroft responded with a triple change, replacing Ben Fletcher, Leighton Hewitt and Paul Turner with Carson Greaves, Lucas Wane and Will Procter.

Town also responded, but an Ethan Gough corner was headed over by Ashe.

Crowe then made another great save from point blank range, denying Dawson.

A.Hewitt was forced off after struggling with a knock, meaning Town had to finish with ten men for the second game running.

Some beautiful skill from Wane gave the winger some space after beating his man, but his effort flew high and wide.

Anderton was then booked for a late challenge on Ayo Quadri.

Quadri hit the post a couple of minutes later, as the West substitute looked to put the icing on the cake.

He would do just that with three minutes left, looping it over Crowe from close range to make it four.

After four minutes of stoppage time, the referee's full time whistle sounded.

A bad day at the office, but every credit to our visitors who played out their skins.

A massive thank you for the support today.

We're next at home on Tuesday 24th March when we host Padiham at Inglewhite Road at 7:45pm.

We go again and stick together.

The Goals:

Longridge: N/A

West Didsbury: Elliot (48'), Roberts (56'), Riley (58'), Quadri (87')

The Teams:

Longridge: Crowe, Blake, Wilkinson, Megson, A.Hewitt, Fletcher (Greaves 59'), Gough, Anderton, Ashe, L.Hewitt (Wane 59'), Turner (Procter 59')

West Didsbury: Passant, Rowney, Jackson, Riley, McConnell, Moscrop, Roberts, Matthews (Quadri 62'), Dawson (McGlynn 76'), Lazenbury, Elliot