Longridge Town

LONGRIDGE TOWN‘S season may well have stalled on the pitch because of the constant wet weather that has engulfed the country and more especially the Lancashire and Cumbria areas, but Friday night saw the ambitious West Lancs League side light up the skies of their own when their new floodlights were finally switched on for the first time (writes Howard Jones).
And there to witness an exciting new era in the clubs history was chairman Brian Parkinson and manager Lee Ashcroft.
Manager Ashcroft was quick to praise the efforts of the clubs go ahead committee saying: “This is just what we needed. The lights look fantastic and now it’s up to us on the pitch to take this club forward to greater things.
“We have now made one giant step towards taking this club to a higher level and a higher league.”
Sadly, even though the playing surface looked a pretty picture under the new lights, Saturday’s attractive Richardson Cup game with Vickerstown, already postponed once in November again fell victim of the wet weather as heavy rains lashed the ground overnight and into Saturday morning.
Chairman Brian Parkinson added: “While the lights look superb last night when we switched them on for the first time, we sadly cannot play today because the pitch is quite literally saturated and with more bad weather forecast l had a qualified referee in early today to see where we were with things.
“Unfortunately the weather again has got the best of us.”
Town’s next scheduled fixture is again planned for the MRG (Mike Riding Ground) next Saturday, December 19 when it is expected that the club will ask for a 3pm kick-off from the West Lancs League to finally show off their new floodlights to their fans.
Town boss Ashcroft added: “Coppull will be a big best for us next week but the side is coming together nicely now and training has been positive these past few weeks even though we haven’t been able to play.
“The weather may have beaten us each week recently but so long as that’s the only thing to beat us l feel this side can still go places this season.”
Some Christmas cheer then for Town fans in the final build-up to the festive season but with the club unable to play since registering their best away win of the season at Thornton Cleveleys on November 21 - a 6-0 victory, the side are planning a New Year surge up the table to catch runaway leaders Fulwood Amateurs.