[themaclad]

Padiham 2 Ashton, Noble Lonridge Town 0 Att 220 plus about 10 dogs

Having neglected the non league game for far too long today was the perfect opportunity to rectify that, the choices were either of the two North West Counties matches, the Conference games at Chorley or Fylde however decided to get in the Mirth Mobile and go to Padiham a town just to the west of the netherland known as Burnley.
Padiham were 17th before kick off Longridge 2nd handily placed with games in hand on leaders 1874 Northwich who were eight points ahead. Decent little ground adjoining the local cricket club with the town below it.
Entrance £3 plus a prog for £2

Longridge looked a good passing side in the early stages playing the ball in behind the home teams full backs but Padiham looked to counter at pace which they did well throughout the game. The video below shows an early Longridge corner which ended up with Padiham brreaking away and clipping the bar with a shot.

Within a minute of that long ball down the pitch Longriddge No 9 in on goal tame shot easily saved by the keeper, that was it for the majority of the first half both sides cancelled each other out and the game was in truth a touch dull.
A couple of minutes before half time Padiham led they had put the visitors under a bit of pressure and a ball over the top did them as Ashton ran on to score with Longridge fans claiming offside he wasn't although to be fair to the liner the lights hadn't been put on and it was quite gloomy apart from the radioactive haze over Burnley.

They could have been two up at the break but Noble the home sides most dangerous forward couldn't get the ball to a team mate when well placed.
Second half Longridge came out firing virtually camped in the home half but the Padiham defence dealt with everything that was thrown at them.
Padiham could have double their kead on the hour when Noble was denied by the Town keeper but only a short reprieve as Noble again in the inside right channel this time put the ball in the corner of the goal to make it two.

Town could have reduced the lead but the Town player couldn't quite get to a cross across the face of the goal other than a late shot well blocked by the home keeper Longridge could have played until the end of time without scoring. Padiham had chances to score further denied by the keeper and one excellent tackle in the box and held on fairly comfortably for the three points

Got home just in time to see Pukki's goal disallowed due to ghis arm pit haitr being given offside, none of that VAR gobbins in the North West Counties league.