Prescot Cables v Mossley

'Own goal agony for Mossley'
Prescot Cables 2 Mossley 2

UniBond League Premier Division

Tuesday 17th October 2006 @ Valerie Park, Hope Street, Prescot

Prescot Cables (Gold & Black)

Mossley (Claret & Sky)

1. McMahon

1. Danny Trueman (6)

2. Smith

2. Christian Cooke (7)

3. O'Hara X

3. Steve Sheil (6) X

4. Bowden X

4. Joel Pilkington (7)

5. Bell

5. Nicky Thompson (7)

6. Flynn (c)

6. Gary Furnival (8)

7. Johnson

7. Lee Shillito (8) X

8. Taylor

8. Melford Knight (c) (8)

9. Rendell

9. Peter Wright (7)

10. Thurston

10. James Turley (6) X

11. Lundon X

11. David Eyres (8)

12. Moore (for Lundon)

12. Andy Thackeray (7) (for Sheil 75)

14. Stanhope (for Bowden)

14. Joe Shaw (for Shillito 89)

15. Connolly (for O'Hara)

15. Chris Ward (7) (for Turley 63)

MOSSLEYWEB MAN OF THE MATCH Gary Furnival

Half Time: 0-1

Full Time: 2-2

Goals:

Connolly (58), Cooke (own goal 90)

Knight (45), Shillito (66)

Mossley were moments away from an important victory at Prescot Cables until disaster struck as the unfortunate Christian Cooke and Danny Trueman contrived a calamitous last minute own goal to give the Merseysiders a share of the spoils.

Prescot's somewhat uneven surface was hardly conducive to flowing football despite some pitch softening early evening rain, so it was no real surprise to see the home side playing the long high ball game.

Mossley played the first half on the counter attack with Lee Shillito's pace and the movement of strikers Wright and Turley a thorn in the homesters side.

Goal bound chances were at a premium but David Eyres fired a free kick narrowly over the bar and the same player went close when stretching for a far post cross. Prescot's pressure play was causing problems particularly on Mossley's right where Lundon and Cooke fought an even battle, though Trueman was rarely troubled.

Mossley took the lead on the stroke of half time. Mossley won a left wing throw in. Steve Sheil launched a long throw and Prescot's defense froze as Melford Knight nipped in to score an easy close range header.

The second half saw the ball on the floor far more. Prescot brought on assistant manager Karl Connolly, the former Wrexham and QPR player, five minutes into the half and he had dramatic impact in the 58th minute. Steve Sheil sliced a clearance but the ball dropped straight to Connolly who looped a hopeful 30 yard volley vaguely goalward over the stranded Trueman and into the Mossley net.

Mossley pushed on though, and Wright saw his free kick blocked whilst Shillito was still causing consternation for the home side's defense as he was cynically hacked down on more than one occasion.

Lee Shillito . . . scored his first Mossley goal

Mossley regained the lead on 66 minutes. A Cooke long throw from the right wasn't cleared and Lee Shillito found enough space in a crowded box to fire into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

Mossley appeared in control, though Trueman had to get down smartly to save at his near post from Rendell. At the other end Shillito again roasted his marker but was two footed by Smith and took no further part as he was helped from the field clearly in pain. Smith amazingly escaped with a talking to.

Joe Shaw's appearance in the last minute had a strange but direct bearing on the result. He and Peter Wright closed down on the right, Shaw deflected the ball out for a throw in (with his only touch of the match), which was then hopefully punted upfield, Trueman came to collect but in the wrong place as Cooke's soft back header left the Mossley keeper stranded and the ball trickled agonizingly over the line for a horrendously freakish 92nd minute equaliser.

Wright attempted to score straight from the restart but was off target and the final whistle went moments later. There was a small fracas as the players left the field with Melford Knight seemingly affronted by some incident at the final whistle, but it was heartbreaking stuff for Mossley who had just about deserved the points until disaster struck.