The Ridge crumbled to defeat against local rivals Charnock Richard in difficult conditions.

Two changes were made from Tuesday night's defeat to Prestwich Heys with Moses Yoak and Calen Gallgher-Allison returning to the backline.

Town actually started the better with Morgan Homson-Smith testing forcing Eastham into a smart save from 25 yards.

Charnock had an opportunity minutes later as a scramble in the box fell to Nickeas who rolled it wide.

Charnock's Spencer Bibby tested Kitchen for the first time as he rolled it into the goalies arms from the edge of the penalty area.

Town then took the lead on 23 minutes as the Ridge began to play some lovely football.

Marshall fed it into the feet of Homson-Smith who played it back into the full back and then found the bottom corner.

Unfortunately Jack Anderton then had to depart as he suffered a knock in the build-up to the goal.

He was replaced by Leighton Hewitt.

Luke Smith then saw a volley from 20 yards turned behind the post again by Eastham.

Ten minutes later and Harries kicked off a rapid counter attack as he sent it down the line to Hewitt who laid off Tanou.

Unfortunately the forward took too long to get his shot away, allowing the Charnock defence to block and clear it.

Kitchen then made a great save to deny Stepans' strong effort from the edge of the box.

Charnock then launched it forward before Kitchen made the save from Carsley's effort.

It came into the path of another Charnock attacker with some eyebrows raised about whether he was onside.

We played on before it came to Marcus Haydock, who found the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

The half time was then blown just minutes later.

Ticket no.4110 won the half time pound for the ground draw. A big thank you to everyone for the continued support.

As Kian Hope replaced Ben Fletcher, the second half kicked off.

Town found the net early on as Luke Smith poked Tanou's delivery over the line but the flag was promptly raised for offside.

Two minutes later and Homson-Smith drove one over the bar from 25 yards.

With the conditions beginning to worsen, the Villagers took the lead through Brad Carsley, who tapped it home from close range following a square ball.

A cross then came in from the right which Carsley met with a head, forcing Kitchen into a smart save.

The rebound effort was then blocked by a sliding Mitch Marshall.

Despite the Town efforts to keep the score down, Charnock soon grabbed a third as the wind took a corner into the path of Homson-Smith who couldn't keep it out following a deflection.

The day then went from bad to worse for Longridge as the wind then boosted a long ball from the Charnock goalkeeper over the head of Will Kitchen who instinctively reached up to prevent it going over his head.

Whether he realised it at the time or not, he was outside the box.

Following discussion with the linesman, the referee then sent Will Kitchen off for deliberate handball.

Paul Turner then replaced Malick Tanou and took the gloves.

The striker then did well to tip the resulting free kick round the post with it destined for the bottom corner.

PT was then on hand to tip Brad Carsley's long range effort over the bar.

Substitute Luke Power found himself through on goal moments later but he put it wide.

Not long later and the full time whistle was blown.

A disappointing result but we go again on Monday 1st April when we face up to Squires Gate.

One a few will be looking forward to.

There are just four matches left of the 23/24 season, with two at home and two away.

The Goals:

Longridge: Marshall (23')

Charnock Richard: M.Haydock (44'), Carsley (55'), Homson-Smith (OG, 63')

The Teams:

Longridge: Kitchen, Marshall, Yoak (Winder 81'), Gallagher-Allison, McLean, Fletcher (Hope 45'), L.Smith, Homson-Smith, Anderton (Hewitt 25') Tanou (Turner 72'), Harries

Charnock Richard: Eastham, Bibby, Young (O'Farrell 56'), Bennett (Duke 68'), M.Haydock, Griffith, L.Haydock, Nickeas, Davies (Power 66') Stepans (Ridings 74'), Carsley