Mossley v Leek Town

'A home win at last'
Mossley 1 Leek Town 0

UniBond League Premier Division

Tuesday 6th March 2007 @ Seel Park, Mossley

Mossley (White & Black)

Leek Town (Blue & Yellow)

1. Steve Wilson (7)

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1. Collinge

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2. Nicky Thompson (7)

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2. Booth

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3. Will Ryder (7) X

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3. Thomas

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4. Joel Pilkington (8)

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4. Johnson

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5. Gary Furnival (7) X

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5. Brannan X

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6. Jonathon Smith (c) (8)

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6. Hawthorne

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7. Joe Shaw (7)

1

7. Danylyk

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8. Melford Knight (7)

1

8. MacPherson X

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9. Steve Burke (6)

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9. Nagington

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10. Clive Moyo-Modise (6)

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10. Towey

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11. David Eyres (7)

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11. Tickle

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12. Steve Brackenridge (6) (for Ryder 73 mins)

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12. Rendell (for MacPherson)

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14. Christian Cooke (7) (for Furnival 83 mins)

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14. Smith (for Brannan)

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15. Matty Barrass (not used)

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15. Wood (not used)

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MOSSLEYWEB MAN OF THE MATCH Joel Pilkington

Half Time: 0-0

Full Time: 1-0

Goals:

Goals:

Knight (61)

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There was a certain poetic justice that Melford Knight should give Mossley's UniBond League premier division survival hopes a shot in the arm. Knight's match-winning goal in the 1-0 win over Leek Town last night came little over 72 hours after the midfield player was involved in an altercation with two supporters. The midfield player, who was set upon in the car park at Seel Park following Saturday's home defeat by Marine, produced a battling display which earned praise from manager Jason Beckford. “Melford was excellent, but that is the character of the boy. Every time he puts on the white shirt he gives 100-per-cent irrespective of what has happened,” explained Beckford, who believes the weekend incident has galvanised his players. And Knight, who is in his third season with the Lilywhites, played down Saturday's unsavoury episode, saying there was never any question of not playing last night. He said: “It's not in my character to quit and it was a case of getting stuck in and getting on with playing.
“These things happen if life and you have to deal with it. To score the winning goal throws any criticisms of me back in their faces.” It was a massive win as before play Mossley were second bottom and without a home win in over five months while Leek were two places above them. Mossley were also beset by injury troubles, having only 12 fit players and with injured Cristian Cooke on the bench along with physio Matty Barrass. Gary Furnival had a header clear off the line and Knight headed narrowly wide when he ought to have hit the target in a goalless opening half. Mossley made the breakthrough in the 62nd minute when Steve Burke headed Joe Shaw's corner against an upright and Knight was on hand to fire the rebound into the roof of the net.	Melford Knight . . . scored winner
And they ought to have sealed victory when Knight headed narrowly wide, Shaw had a shot well saved and on-loan Clive Moyo-Modise struck a post in the last minute. They looked a though they might be costly misses as Leek, who had rarely had a sniff at goal all night, nearly equalised deep into the three minutes of injury time. Mossley failed to clear danger and Wayne Johnson was left free in front of goal only to be denied by a brilliant goalline block by Cooke when an equaliser looked an odds-on certainty.