Six-hitting Stags back with a bang

WEST LANCS LEAGUE DIVISION TWO ROSSENDALE LONGRIDGE TOWN 6 3

THE Stags were back in action this weekend after a threeweek lay off and after a shaky start they made light work of a team that going into the game still would have had hopes of mounting a promotion challenge.

Both teams started the game quite well, but it was the home side who broke the deadlock in the 20th minute when Scot Wylie found himself in space down the right side of the pitch, with no other options on he unleashed a shot at the keeper who was beaten at his near post by the powerful strike.

Within moments thought the away side were back level as they probed down the Rossendale defensive channel, crossed into the box for the right winger to turn home a simple tap in.

Longridge began to step up the pressure buoyed by the equaliser and could easily have taken the lead, but Rossendale struck next when

Wylie again blasted home from distance, this time from the left hand side of the pitch, bending a perfect shot beyond the Longridge keeper.

Lightning however struck twice and immediately Longridge pulled level within a few minutes when the Rossendale defence didn’t deal with a set piece into the box and paid the price when it was eventually bundled home by the away team.

Longridge were definitely proving they could punch with Rossendale and just before the half time they took the lead when poor marking and closing down by the usually strong Rossy defence ended with the Longridge striker scoring a very good gal from distance.

The Stags would have it all to do coming into the second half, they needed to tighten up at the back and stop conceding silly free kicks in dangerous

●● Scott Wylie positions, then not dealing with the resulting crosses into the box.

Within minutes of the kick off the Stags had already given away two free kicks in dangerous positions so manager Ray Davis made a change, put on Jordon Hilton at right back, moved Jack Cassidy to centre half and momentum immediately swung in the home sides favour.

The equaliser came on the 57th minute when Luke Simpson finished struck into the bottom corner of the Longridge goal and three minutes later Jack Cassidy headed home a lovely looping header to make it 4-3.

Longridge looked deflated but the home side knew they would need more goals to kill off the spirited away team.

The fifth goal came when substitute Harry Buckley drove forward from midfield and was upended in the box for a penalty, which Wylie dispatched to complete his hat trick.

Goal number six and Wylies fourth came on 85 minutes when he linked well with another substitute Heap, then went on a solo run before completing what turned into a rout.

This week the Stags are at home (Marl Pits) against Chipping FC, ko is 2pm so get down and support the Stags!