Ravenous Dean, Scor-Ing Goals For Fun !!

And so to The Bowl (The 'Bernabowl') in Douglas on the Isle of Man for an 1800 kick off between FC Isle of Man (Club Sockyr Ellan Vannin) and Longridge Town in the North West Counties Premier Division. The evening start, as with all Isle of Man home games on a Saturday, was devised to avoid any competition with the local Saturday league.

The Ravens set up in 2019 - their badge made up of a black raven (a populous native bird on the island) and red and white colours, representing the island's sunsets and Manannan's cloak - Manannan, a Manx warrior, being the 'son of the sea'. The four water lines reflect the four sides of the isle and the motto 'Bee ny Share' is Manx for 'Be Better'. The triskelion (the three legged national flag) is stitched into the back of the shirt.

Isle of Man was accepted into the North West Counties for the 2020/2021 season and played their inaugural match in July 2020 against Guernsey in the Skipton Cup at The Bowl, winning 1-0. A reverse fixture in September produced a 1-1 draw with Guernsey winning on penalties.

Sadly the Covid-19 pandemic and local quarantine requirements meant the club could not start their league adventure - the club was temporarily suspended by the NWCFL in December 2020 for its failure to fulfil fixtures by the season end date. In any event the league season was abandoned in February 2021.

Nonetheless the Ravens kicked off 2021/2022 at Maine Road, playing 16 consecutive away fixtures, before hosting Brocton FC on 30 October. A hugely impressive first season left the Manxmen finish second, and then home play off victories against Wythenshawe Amateurs (3-0) and New Mills (4-2) saw the club promoted to the Premier Division.

Unfortunately this season has proved to be a step (almost) too far - a real struggle, seeing manager Chris Bass sacked in November 2022 and Paul Jones, Director of Football, taking over as interim manager to the end of the season. The Ravens lie 20th, one place above the relegation zone, but 10 points clear of Burscough who occupy the last relegation spot.

Longridge Town FC, from The Recycling Lives (formerly the Mike Riding) Ground on Inglewhite Road in the town, was formed in 1996 when the two main clubs in the town, Longridge United and Longridge St Wilfred’s, amalgamated. Both clubs had histories dating back to the 19^th century when Longridge St Wilfred’s and Longridge St Lawrence were established.

The clubs were based on sectarian grounds and played in their respective religious leagues. That situation existed to 1929 when Longridge St Lawrence became a non-sectarian club and changed name to Longridge United.

The new club started in the Preston & District League and subsequent promotions saw The Ridge elevated to the West Lancashire League Division Two in 2008. A runners up spot in their first season took them to Division One, where they were crowned champions in 2012.

The 2016/17 Premier Division title was clinched with a last day 1-0 win at closest rivals Blackpool Wren Rovers. The season after Town finished third and successfully applied to join the North West Counties Football League Division One North. Immediate success followed as champions with 144 goals scored taking Longridge up to the Premier -  followed by 2 Covid ravaged seasons and mid table in 12th last time. Currently the Ridge start one place above the Ravens, on goal difference, in 19th, of 22, but with three games in hand and also ten points clear of relegation.

En route to the airport numberplates BT04STY (heating engineer) and RUM3N, plus a van advertising Pawfection on the island....

A 27 minute flight, soaring over Calf of Man, then a packed bus, Ballasalla Steam Railway station, Mann Cat Sanctuary and Ballavartyn Equestrian Centre. Past the Home of Rest for Old Horses, the National Sports Centre and the Bowl into Douglas, home of the Thirsty Pigeon (a very welcome post match pint of Okells ☺), the Blind Pig, Wine Down, Bored Room and Mad Jack's Axe Throwing. The return journey is via Onchan and features the pub The Cat With No Tail and, fittingly outside, a Manx cat !

Into town there's the Tynwald (House of Keys), the Bee Gees statue, Tower of Refuge, Douglas War Memorial, Gaiety Theatre, the Horse Tramway (since 1876 !) leading onto the Manx Electric Railway at Derby Castle and its museum - sadly closed. On the way back is the Manx Museum from 1922, with a free centenary Museum 100 exhibition, the Manx Steam Railway and then up to the Bowl off Circular Road, turning left at Exit Strategy, an 'escape room'. Then Pulrose Power Station, the Isle of Cider on the Riverside Industrial Estate next to the River Glass, and to the 3,500 capacity Bowl.

Tonight's attendance is 627, with a healthy away following despite the misty, drizzly weather - the stadium is all seater, with one side and two corners covered, trees on every side and the ground in the midst of an industrial estate featuring fast food chains and local businesses. £10 in, card only, which is rather steep for this level but the Ravens are strictly amateur and have to pay for the visitors' travel and accommodation...

Mascot Raymond P Raven puts in an appearance with the Manxmen in red and black, Ridge in change lime and grey - and a pulsating first half ensues... 

Within 3 minutes Ridge's marauding full back Mitch Mitchell crosses low and hard and the ball is diverted into his own net by Ryan Burns to put Town 1-0 up. No matter as five minutes later Ste Whitley's cross finds captain Sean Doyle whose header sails home, but Ridge's keeper James Aspinall should have done better...

Six minutes on a ball is played in by Charlie Higgins and Doyle rolls his man and then hammers home. Doyle's 13 minute perfect hat trick is completed on 21 minutes, diverting home with his left foot after a fabulous Ravens' team move.

For the visitors Dean Ing plants a header wide but, fair warning, then shoots low under Dean Kearns to make it 3-2 on 33 minutes. We then see a goal line clearance from the Ravens and Higgins denied by Aspinall in a one on one as half time finds the Manxmen 3-2 up.

The second half is all about Ridge, as the Ravens fail to take flight, and eventually on 63 minutes Ing beats the offside trap and equalises for 3-3. Four minutes on Cian McDermott's effort is well saved but Ing powers home the rebound for his hat trick and puts Town 4-3 ahead.

But his game isn't over, as with five minutes left, he wins the ball and plays an exquisite pass to sub Ben Finley who scores with aplomb to make it 3-5; Finley then bends one round the post but Longridge end up deserved 5-3 winners in a compelling match ☺

Not Heys' Heyday In Ridge of High Pressure

And so to the Mike Riding Ground on Inglewhite Road in Longridge for the North West Counties Division One North fixture between Longridge Town and Prestwich Heys.

Longridge Town FC was formed in 1996 when the two main clubs in the town, Longridge United and Longridge St Wilfred’s, amalgamated. Both clubs had histories dating back to the 19^th century when Longridge St Wilfred’s and Longridge St Lawrence were established.

Both clubs were based on sectarian grounds and played in their respective religious leagues. That situation existed to 1929 when Longridge St Lawrence became a non-sectarian club and changed name to Longridge United.

The new club started in the Preston & District League and subsequent promotions saw The Ridge elevated to the West Lancashire League Division Two in 2008. A runners up spot in their first season took them to Division One, where they were crowned champions in 2012.

The 2016/17 Premier Division title was clinched with a last day 1-0 win at closest rivals Blackpool Wren Rovers. Last season Town finished third and successfully applied to join the North West Counties Football League Division One North.

The Heys’ origins can be traced to February 9th 1938 when a meeting was called at the Music Room of the Heys Road Boys School with the idea of forming an Old Boys Association - the football arm becoming Heys Old Boys AFC. The Heys gradually progressed through the Bury Amateur League and South East Lancashire League, changing their name to Prestwich Heys AFC in 1964. The team joined the Lancashire Combination for the 1968/69 season.

Thousands flocked to see the Heys play in the FA Amateur Cup, with the victory over Sutton United in 1969 attracting nationwide coverage, coming a week before their opponents were due to meet Leeds United in the FA Cup. Truly the Heys' heyday !!

The club became a founder member of the North West Counties League in 1982 but were demoted to the Manchester League in 1986 due to ground grading issues. Under manager Adie Moran the Heys were champions for three successive seasons between 2005 and 2007. Tragically Moran was killed in a swimming accident in Sri Lanka at the age of 43 in June 2007 which left the club reeling.

After relegation battles, the club renamed the ground to Adie Moran Park in honour of their late manager and in 2016 won the Manchester League Premier Division - thereby returning to the North West Counties Football League after a 30 year absence. An 8^th place finish on their return was followed by third last season and play off elimination by Cammell Laird.

So on a grey warm afternoon I am passed by a pale blue VW Beetle with a plastic cow on its roof and a red cylinder marked 'Methane' on the boot (very odd), then it's signs for a lost parrot, Cowtown Grill and The Flamin' Chicken before that shuttered ELCTRICAL. TOILETORIES pound plus shop. Garvey's invite me to celebrate St Patrick's Day with them (17 March) - that's some advance warning...

The M60, Barton Bridge and a flurry of ambulances, the M61 (Incontinence Supplies at Internet Prices), a Highways Agency vehicle fitted with Acklea Scorpion and Botany Bay leads me to the M6 and struggling caravans.

Off at Junction 31a into massive industrial estates, a car dealership seemingly at every corner and a collection of stone buddhas outside the HA Fox Jaguar franchise. Then into Grimsargh and its Smile Clinic, past Alston Dairy and to Longridge 'The Gateway to the Ribble Valley'. Bypassing the town centre and choosing to eschew Quilters Quarters and Pristine Pooches I reach the Mike Riding Ground, named after the current club president, on Inglewhite Road at the northern tip of the town.

A very muddy and bepuddled car park awaits me and I fear the Abbey Hulton parking pandemonium is about to strike again - but I get the last encumbered spot to ensure a speedy getaway.

£5 at the turnstile includes a free programme and wonderful views of the Ribble Valley countryside. Only two sides of the ground are open - the popular side with a brand new 100 seater grandstand and its shiny red seats, next to the dressing rooms, clubhouse and then the Frank Jamieson Stand, a small four step covered terrace in the corner.

The other side open is behind the goal to my right, a path with warm up pitch beyond. The two closed sides are fenced off but more of that anon. The scale of new build housing developments – prices from a fiver less than £386,000 ‘Help Available To Buy’ and at those prices the help is sorely needed !! - at various stages of completion is immediately evident but the Alston Arms next to the ground and the unspoilt country views opposite both survive - for now.

The Ridge have won one, drawn one and lost one of their three league games thus far, with ten goals for and nine against. Strongly fancied Heys have won both league games and upset Abbey Hey from the league above in the FA Cup last week.

Town are all in red, Heys in light blue shirts and navy shorts. The first half is a wretched experience as a record bumper crowd of 211, the highest at this level in the whole country this weekend, have to endure a plague of blackfly, midges and wasps. The football is little better; not so much craft and guile, more graft and bile, a litany of free kicks and injuries, three yellow cards and much moaning and groaning.

The deadlock is scruffily broken midway through the half. Jay Hart, infamously sacked by Clitheroe FC for some after match hanky panky in the home dugout at Mossley, flicks on a Longridge corner, a deflected shot, appeals for a penalty, goal line scramble and Paul Turner scuffs in from a yard. Four minutes into stoppage time provides the only moment of quality in the first period. Tom Ince's perfectly flighted ball drops over Heys' Jacob Holt and Turner gorgeously lobs Mike Smith to make it 2-0 for the home team.

For the second half I seek solace on the opposite, fenced off, out of bounds, side. If nothing else I can watch the cricket match taking place in the valley below at Longridge CC....

There are no bugs, the sun breaks out briefly and the second 45 minutes proves rather incident packed. Within a minute Ridge lose the ball, Rio Wilson-Heyes is allowed to run and run before laying off to the burly Jamie Baguley whose left footer from 20 yards finds the corner of the net.

Heys hit the bar soon after and then come three incidents that enrage the away side. Theo Kidd is pushed in the penalty area, and with the linesman furiously flagging away, the referee waves play on. Then Town captain George Melling's dangerous tackle on Kidd receives a yellow card when it could, and maybe should, have been red.

Finally a woefully underhit back pass, indicative of some very nervy home defending is intercepted by Kidd. The ensuing melee sees the ball cleared off the line twice, twice apparently with the illegal use of a hand. Nothing is given and this prompts a torrent of abuse from the away bench. Both Heys' joint managers, Jon Lyons and Ryan Hutchinson, are banished to the stands in the aftermath.

Inevitably Ridge's next foray sees Alex Murphy upended in the box and the referee this time awards a penalty, which Richie Allen converts. Two minutes later Wilson-Heyes hits the crossbar for Prestwich, who must know by now it's not going to be their (hey)day.

A splendid piece of trickery sees Allen make space and curl a left footed effort which hits the underside of bar and inside of post and trickle along the line where fellow sub Joe Melling scrambles the ball home at the near post for 4-1.

And it's 5-1 with five minutes to go as an unmarked Dan Wilkinson heads in a free kick as Heys implode. To rub salt into their wounds Heys receive their third red card of the day at the death - Holt for a second yellow.

One final footnote - the referee today, the villain of the piece in Prestwich eyes, is called Mr Hay.......