Saturday
22nd April 2006
@ Seel Park, Mossley

Mossley
1. Lee Bracey (7)
2. Andy Thackeray (c) (8)
3. Nicky Thompson (8)
4. Paul Challinor (8)
5. Karl Vernon (8)
6. Joel Pilkington (7)
7. Rhodri Giggs (7)
8. Martin Allison (7)
9. Anthony Bingham (7) Y
10. Chris Downey (7)
11. Adam Morning (8)
subs
12. Melford Knight (6)
(for Pilkington 52 mins)
14. Joe Shaw (8)
(for Allison 73 mins)
15. Jordan Goodeve (7)
(for Bingham 45 mins)

Scorers:
Mossley
Adam Morning (3 mins)
Anthony Bingham (27 mins)

Bishop Auckland
1. Davison
2. Shaw
3. Newby
4. Low (c)
5. Mohan
6. Bowes
7. Campbell
8. Robinson
9. Winspear
10. Storr
11. Wells
12. Crager
(for Robinson)
14. Barwick
(for Crager)
15. Griffith
(for Campbell)

Scorers:
Bishop Auckland :
Storr (51)

Thanks to results elsewhere going Mossley’s way and a narrow 2-1 victory over relegated Bishop Auckland, Mossley made all but mathematically certain of promotion on Saturday. Mossley’s three main rivals for a top two spot—Kendal, Fleetwood and Woodley were all being hammered on their travels as the Lilywhites edged towards the title despite being pushed all the way by the ’gung-ho’ north easterners.

It was the visitors who created the first opening when Mossley’s defence inexplicably opened up in the first minute but Robinson not only scuffed his shot when clean through but injured himself in the process.

The Lilywhites quickly recovered though and took the lead in only the second minute. Anthony Bingham and Rhodri Giggs were involved in a move that led to Adam Morning popping up in the inside right position to shoot through a defenders legs and under the body of Bishops keeper Davison.

The early lead took some of the pressure of the occasion off Mossley and possibly caused the sloppiness that followed as Bishops, determined to enjoy their day, pumped long balls into the Mossley box and ‘worked their socks off’ to deny Mossley space as Lee Bracey dived full length to save from Shaw’s drive.

Mossley were finding it difficult to find any fluency despite their obvious advantage in quality and were delighted and relieved when the lead was doubled on 27 minutes with a superb solo strike by Anthony Bingham. The young striker, in only his second start since returning from a broken leg, picked the ball up 25 yards out to the right and curled a fantastic shot into the far top corner from the edge of the box that gave Davison no chance.

It looked like the game would end up as a stroll but the plucky Bishops thought otherwise as they came out for the second half with all guns blazing and halved the arrears six minutes after the interval with a high quality 20 yard shot on the turn by veteran striker Ritchie Storr.

Storr was a thorn in Mossley’s side throughout the half as he shot just over the bar a few minutes later.

Bishops looked to have equalised ten minutes later as Storr’s looping header hit the inside of the post and rolled agonisingly along the line before being coolly cleared by Andy Thackeray.

The Mossley fans, lifted by news of their rivals demise, chanted and sang Mossley back into action and following Joe Shaw’s arrival, replacing Martin Allison on 73 minutes, Mossley finally took charge of the game. Adam Morning put in a string of crosses without reward. Chris Downey was twice denied by Davison with close range blocks and Melford Knight headed wide from a good position.

A safety first approach in the dying seconds again saw Mossley play successfully in the corners and the final whistle resulted in jubilant scenes on the terraces as results from elsewhere filtered through.