The best thing that can be said about a game which perfectly complimented the dull skies it was played beneath, is that Mossley left for home with the three points that were on offer thanks to a solitary second half goal.
With 13 minutes left, substitute Jamie Miller and Danny Toronczak combined down the right and the latter provided a superb low cross to the far post where it was met my Lee Blackshaw. Whilst his initial shot was well saved by Lake, the Radcliffe keeper could only deflect the ball upwards, allowing Blackshaw a second bite of the cherry and the former Glossop winger headed it into the net for his third goal of the season.
Mossley had started the match reasonably brightly but their attempts at opening the scoring were more often than not let down by a weak shot that followed some good build-up play. As the first period wore on those chances began to dry up and it was only a sublime move on the half hour mark involving Martin Allison and Gareth Hamlet, which Toronczak narrowly failed to apply the perfect finish to, that provided any real respite from the dour midfield battle the match was quickly becoming.
The early stages of the second half promised better things, especially when Lee Connor's firm header from a corner was blocked on the line by a Borough player. Radcliffe immediately responded by winning a series of corners themselves but that proved to be it for the game as a spectacle until Blackshaw popped up with his match winning goal.
Whilst Mossley were hardly the force they've shown that they can be at times this season, they were never in any real danger of losing. Borough entered the match still waiting to register their first win in the league and they provided little to suggest that this would be the game in which they broke their duck. Apart from those three successive corners not long after the interval, visiting keeper Ashley Connor had so little to do I wouldn't be surprised if he was charged the £7 other spectators had to pay to watch the game.
It might not have been pretty but Mossley will be pleased to have successfully negotiated what was a potential banana skin without any slip-ups. And when all is said and done, league positions are based on points and not the entertainment factor of matches, which is why the Lilywhites will return from the Inn2Gether Stadium more than delighted with the three they gained from this game.
Report by SJNR
Danny Toronczak heads over an open goal
Toronczak's cross causes havoc . . .
. . . the ball spins up in the air . . .
. . . and Lee Blackshaw nods home the winner,
wheels away to celebrate . . .
to be met by team-mates.
Mossleyweb 'Man of the Match' Martin Allison takes on the Radcliffe defence
pics by Garry Hadfield
