Saturday 7th September 2024
NWCFL Premier Division
Matchday 7
Longridge Town 1
Hewitt 70
West Didsbury & Chorlton 5
Lazenbury 16, 41, 83
Abadaki 22, 39
Attendance: 262
West line-up:
1 Martin, 2 Rowney (c), 3 Sutton, 4 Jones (17 Kenny 89), 5 Cole, 6 Whiteoak, 7 Lescott (15 Billingsley 67), 8 Murray, 9 Abadaki (14 Grimshaw 65), 10 Lazenbury, 11 Matthews (12 Darkwah 75). Not used: 16 Wharton.
Jordan Lazenbury's hat-trick set West on the way to an emphatic victory in the Ribble Valley.
Paul Marshall made three changes to the side that started Tuesday's defeat to Irlam, with Tom Murray, Billy Matthews and Victor Abadaki coming in for Jimmy Moore, Lewis Billingsley and Ben Wharton. Longridge started with the same XI that hit Pilkington for six in midweek and only one change from the side that beat top-of-the-table Ramsbottom last Saturday.
West were returning to the scene of January's 5-1 defeat but those memories were banished by a five-star showing of their own. Starting immediately on the front foot, West went in front on 16 minutes as Max Sutton's pinpoint cross found Jordan Lazenbury, who brought the ball down cleanly and set himself to fire left-footed into Mason Walker's bottom left corner.
The dust hadn't settled before Victor Abadaki doubled the lead on 22, pouncing through the middle and rolling it under Walker for his sixth goal of the season.
West were buoyant, looking dangerous on every attack and didn't have to wait long for a third. Charlie Whiteoak - excellent in a deeper role - was a whisker away with a 20-yarder that smashed off the crossbar, before Matthews found Abadaki inside the Longridge box on 39 minutes to turn and finish into the top corner.
West weren't done there; a sweet ball over the top from Max Sutton put it on a sixpence for Jordan Lazenbury who controlled and guided the ball beyond Walker in virtually the same movement.
Longridge will have been grateful for the whistle - West took a four-goal lead to the dressing rooms for the first time since the record win over St Martins in March 2022, when the half-time margin was a never-to-be-beaten 12-0.
The second half kicked off as drizzle rolled in from the Bowland Fells but it soon cleared as West went on the hunt for more goals. Donovan Lescott came the width of an upright away from scoring for a second Saturday in a row, but Ridge keeper Walker combined with the front post to deny the West winger.
The last half hour was played at an unsurprisingly slower pace - the game had long been over as a contest.
A rare Ollie Martin slip did allow Leighton Hewitt to pull one back, but the consolation goal only served to inject a bit of energy into the last stages of the game and give West the impetus to put a deserved gloss on the scoreline.
It was fitting that Jordan Lazenbury rounded things off, drilling in from the edge of the box on 83 minutes to complete a memorable first hat-trick for the club.
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Listen to manager Paul Marshall's post-match thoughts here:
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Your Burton Road Brewing Co Supporter of the Match was Scott and his Player of the Match was Jordan Lazenbury.
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Browse through our wonderful match galleries, from club photographers: Nathan Ashmall, Chris Michell, Jack Todd and Christina Bowett.
