Longridge started the new year with the theme of the previous as Ashey's young Reds succumbed to a Stockport Town comeback.

An own goal, a penalty from Joe Adams and a header from Liam Atkinson earned Town a healthy lead at half time.

However, two late goals from the hosts left Town frustrated away from home once again.

Ashcroft made a single change from last weekend, as Joe Adams make his first start since returning from his knee injury.

New signing Gary Basterfield made the bench and would come on for his debut.

Town got the game underway and began brilliantly.

Matt Van Wyk and Liam Atkinson combined early on as the latter then looked to slip it past the advancing goal but a Stockport defender raced back to clear.

Adams saw his free kick delivery well claimed by the 'keeper, before the Ridge held their own during a solid spell from the hosts.

After riding out the pressure, Adams won a corner.

The attacker then curled it into the danger zone.

Stockport's McLaughlin looked to head it clear but misjudged the delivery, and headed it into his own net, giving Longridge the lead.

Town kept the momentum flowing as Lewis Richmond came close, as the midfielder fiercely fired a loose ball at goal from 20 yards but it deflected just over the crossbar.

Adams wasn't far off a goal of his moments later, as he placed one over from the right hand side of the box.

The ball was then held in midfield by a Stockport attacker.

Richmond harassed the man before winning it back and playing it through to Atkinson before the forward was bundled over as he bared down on goal.

Adams stepped up and found the bottom left corner to double Town's advantage.

Unfortunately, it didn't last long as Lions winger Tobias Green, bent one into the bottom corner from the edge of the area to pull one back just a couple of minutes later.

Town felt as though there was a foul in the build-up, but the appeals fell on deaf ears.

Thankfully, with the determination of Liam Atkinson, Town restored parity.

Adams drifted an inch perfect cross onto the head of Atkinson whose header found the top corner to make it three.

The hosts then had another in the net through McLaughlin, however it was promptly chalked off for offside.

At the interval, Stockport made a triple change, helping them come out a different side.

The strange tone of the second half was set early, as Kier Barry had to race out of his goal to commit a foul and was booked soon after.

Stockport substitute Edos Oni poked it over from very close range, letting Town off the hook for the time being.

On 56 minutes the hosts were sentenced down to ten men for ten minutes, as defender Oliver Kilner was sin-binned for dissent.

Leighton Hewitt's first effort of the game flew well over the bar, whilst Atkinson almost made it four moments later.

He chased down a heavy touch from Edos Oni and looked to place it past Schofield but the 'keeper denied him.

It was then almost a carbon copy but with a different player involved as two minutes later as Atkinson brushed past three Lions midfielders, poked it through to Anderton whose shot was saved.

McLean then placed a great ball in from the left but Atkinson was inches away from connecting.

Town would soon be punished for all these missed chances.

The warnings came from the left, as a Green cross turned shot was tipped over by the strong hand of Barry.

However Town couldn't ride their luck anymore, as a Josh Edwards header bounced off the crossbar and over the goal line to close the gap.

Town appealed offside but we continued.

With Town now getting nervy, a few heavy challenges started flying in.

No more so than Hewitt down the right which he was carded for.

Ashey went to his bench and replaced Joe Adams and Matt Van Wyk with Gary Basterfield and Luke Smith.

Atkinson huffed and puffed up top to win a free kick 25 yards from goal.

Both Anderton and Smith stood over it, before the latter fired straight into the arms of Schofield.

Stockport then raced forward on the counter only for Padden to fire well over.

A cross came in from the Town wing for Smith to roll it home, however the flag was promptly raised.

Town's game management was good as Hewitt brilliantly won a corner.

Anderton's delivery almost went straight in.

Schofield managed to claw it away from goal though.

The loose ball was cleared back out to the attacker, who looked to find the bottom corner.

Both Schofield and Foulds threw themselves at it to keep him out from close range, and they just about did.

Just as we entered stoppage time, the moment that all Longridge faithful feared came.

Following a melee in the box, substitute Harley Monaghan found the net to level the scoring.

In protest for offside, Devenney was sin-binned.

With Town hearts in mouths, there was even a late late penalty appeal for Stockport as we passed the indicated four minutes but nothing doing.

Town cleared their lines and the full time whistle went.

Another very frustrating draw away from home against a good side shows the progress being made.

It'll come.

We go again away to FC St Helens next Saturday before returning home to face Stockport Town again.

We then host Squires Gate on Saturday 18th January at 3pm for a Preston-Blackpool derby.

Make sure to come and back the boys for those games as we look to put an end to this miserable run of form.

We're sticking together like always.

Thank you for your brilliant support.

The Goals:

Stockport: Green (31'), Edwards (69'), Monaghan (90+1')

Longridge: Own Goal (13'), Adams (P 29'), Atkinson (38')

The Teams:

Stockport: Schofield, Padden, Lomakin-Rogers (Edos Oni 46'), Foulds, Edwards, Kilner (Gardner 76'), Atkinson, Green, Walsh (Kagame 46'), Barugh (Omokua 68') McLaughlin (Monaghan 46')

Longridge: Barry, Hewitt, Marshall, Devenney, McLean, Adams (Basterfield 73'), Edmundson, Richmond, Anderton, Van Wyk, (Smith 73') Atkinson