Lewis On Sport

Darwen begin ‘new dawn’ with Longridge friendly

Darwen got their ‘new dawn’ underway by beginning their preparations for the new season against Premier Division side Longridge Town at a sun-drenched Anchor on Wednesday night.

The friendly saw The Salmoners play by the name of Darwen F.C. for the first time in 13 years.

It was to be defeat for Kenny Langford’s men however, as Longridge ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.

Moses Yoak opened the scoring 10 minutes before the interval with a tap-in in the six-yard box before goals from trialists in the second half sealed the win for the away side.

The Ridge got the game underway and enjoyed the better of the ball during the opening 15 and frustrated The Reds with some quick passing through the centre.

The visitors’ number 11 Jack Arrowsmith wasn’t too far away from registering the game’s first shot on target when his cross-come-shot flew just over Holden’s crossbar. 

The left-winger then had a really good chance to put his side in front just moments later but he stroked wide of the right-hand post. Darwen look vulnerable down their right-hand side.

The away side had half-hearted appeals for a penalty waved away by the referee.

Lee Ashcroft’s men began to assert more authority over proceedings as the game progressed towards the half-hour mark.

With 30 minutes on the clock, the players took on fluids as Holden received some treatment. Darwen’s number 1 had to be taken off and was replaced by Lenny Fieldhouse.

A couple of minutes after play resumed, the away side’s dominance was rewarded. Moses Yoak diverted home from close range. 35 minutes gone. 0-1.

And seconds later it was almost two, as a cross from the right came off a Darwen man and rolled just wide of the left upright.

The Ridge were applying more and more pressure on Darwen’s defence, and their number 2 Charlie Alston came agonisingly close to heading home a second.

Darwen did put one well-worked team move together before the interval but it lacked end product and resulted only in a goal kick.

HALF-TIME: DARWEN 0-1 LONGRIDGE TOWN

SECOND HALF

The second period got off to a fairly even start thanks to Darwen emerging from the changing rooms with a newfound sense of urgency and intensity.

However, it soon became clear that Longridge were having the better of the game in the second 45 in much the same way they had the better of the first and on the hour mark, a free-flowing move from the visitors was finished by a trialist from just inside the 18-yard box. 0-2.

Callum Gribbin was unlucky to see an effort from the edge of the area blocked after gracefully dancing his way past a couple of Town defenders.

Darwen’s penalty area temporarily turned into a pinball machine after a looping header came back off the crossbar. A couple of close-range follow-up attempts formed a goalmouth scramble but some resolute defending from The Salmoners kept the score line at 0-2.

Another one of the visitors’ trialists could well have made it three when he was played in down the left-hand side but his first touch was too heavy and the ball ran away from him and out for a goal kick.

A powerful long-range effort from scorer of the away side’s first Moses Yoak flew just wide of Fieldhouse’s right-hand post.

A trialist for The Ridge tapped home a third goal from close-range with a few minutes remaining. 0-3.         

Not long before time, Nathan Bond forced a good save out of Town keeper James Aspinall.

The referee’s full-time whistle brought to an end what had been a good run out for Darwen against an impressive Longridge side.

FULL-TIME: DARWEN 0-3 LONGRIDGE TOWN

The Salmoners are next in action on Tuesday 28^th June when a Blackburn Rovers XI will make the short-trip to The Anchor Ground. Kick-off is 7:45pm.

THE TEAMS

DARWEN

STARTING XI

1. Stefan Holden

2. Clayton Gorman

3. Toby Humphries

4. Nathan Bond

5. Steve Howson

6. Sam Holt

7. Billy Flitcroft

8. David Lynch

9. Rio Wilson-Heyes

10. Callum Gribbin

11. Martin Middlehurst

SUBSTITUTES

12. Ryan Steele

14. Bobby Langford

15. Alex Mortimer

16. Israel Aghahow

17. Lenny Fieldhouse

LONGRIDGE TOWN

STARTING XI

1. James Aspinall

2. Charlie Alston

3. Mitch Marshall

4. Cam Gourney

5. Matthew Flynn ©

6. Trialist

7. Scott Harris

8. Ben Fletcher

9. Trialist

10. Moses Yoak

11. Jack Arrowsmith

SUBSTITUTES

12-16. Trialists