Mossley played a 4-5-1 formation which left Peter Wright an isolated figure up front as every touch by a Hednesford defender saw the ball pumped back into the Mossley box without any consideration for a second touch.

On the rare occasion that Mossley created any kind of openings Hednesford keeper Young handled superbly, as did Danny Trueman at the other end to deny chances for Alexander and Screaton.

The second half saw more of the same as Mossley cleared their lines time after time with Trueman again called into action to claim a string of crosses.

Mike Flynn . . . Martialled the defence superbly

The defence held firm superbly, The outstanding Flynn and Gary Furnival were rocks at the heart of the back four whilst full backs Danny Meadowcroft and Steve Sheil also played their parts effectively despite the almost intolerable pressure by an increasingly desperate home side.

Mossley might have snatched all three points five minutes from time when David Eyres found Wright who raced past his marker and screwed a shot that was heading for the bottom corner with the keeper wrong footed only to be turned away for a fruitless corner by a defender’s outstretched leg.

At the other end Mossley survived a last minute free kick as White went close and it was a relieved and a reasonably contented Mossley side that trooped off with a very hard earned point at the end.