Charnock Richard 3 Squires Gate 1: Fourth defeat for Gate and reports that league season could be suspended

Jordan Gidley and Luke Holden returned to the starting line-up at Mossie Park, while Jamie Ramwell and Dec Baldwin started ahead of Elliott Pond and Sam-Staunton Turner.

It was the hosts who had the first sniff of goal, with skipper Carl Grimshaw seeing a shot from close range well blocked.

Lewis Haydock then shot wide as he stretched to meet a good ball from the right.

Charnock made their dominance pay on 19 minutes. A ball over the top of the Gate defence found Brad Carsley, who in turn found the bottom corner with a clinical finish.

Gate looked to hit back, with a shot from Josh Pollard deflected just wide, while Dean Ing saw an effort blocked.

Just as it looked like Luke Evans’ men were getting back in the game, Charnock doubled their lead on 24 minutes.

Gidley came out to deal with a ball over the top but sliced his clearance, allowing Grimshaw to cut inside and fire in off a post.

Gate’s James Boyd saw an effort cleared off the line but the hosts grabbed their third on 36 minutes, when Lewis Haydock made not mistake from Luke Power’s cross.

Lively winger Boyd went close again but his shot from the left was superbly blocked as Gate ended the half 3-0 down.

They pulled one back on 53 minutes, counterattacking from a Charnock corner. Andy Haworth’s strong run opened up space and his perfect through-ball was clinically converted by Pollard.

Boyd fired over on the hour and Charnock captain Grimshaw was denied a fourth for his side by an offside flag.

A corner by Boyd was volleyed straight at the keeper by Cameron Gourley, then Gate thought they had reduced the deficit to one on 75 minutes.

The Charnock keeper slipped when taking a free-kick and Ing fired into the empty net from the edge of the box only for the referee to order the free-kick to be retaken.

But despite further half-chances in a spirited second-half performance, this was a fourth straight league defeat for Gate, who are due to host Litherland REMYCA on Saturday.

Gate: Gidley, Ridings, Higham, Baldwin, Holden, Gourley, Haworth, Pollard, Ramwell, Ing, Boyd; Subs: Dodd, Garrett, Kaye, Staunton-Turner, Pond

It is being reported that clubs in the NWCFL are today being consulted over the possible suspension of the competition as coronavirus continues to spread.

Gate are the only premier division club to have played more than two matches and five teams are yet to kick-off in a pandemic-distrupted start to a season.

AFC Blackpool have played once in first division north and have ceased all football activity for a fortnight after a player tested positive following Saturday’s FA Vase win at Esh Winning.

It is understood that all NWCFL clubs are being asked if they would like to see the season halted at least until the end of the month.