Unlucky Mossley bow out in semi Trafford 2   Mossley 1

UNIBOND LEAGUE PRESIDENT’S CUP SEMI FINAL

Tuesday 17^th March 2009 @ Shawe View, Flixton               Attendance: 157

Trafford (White)

2

Mossley (Orange & Black)

1

1. Read

-

1. James Mann

-

2. Woodford

-

2. Christian Cooke

-

3. Halligan

-

3. Alex Mortimer

-

4. Southwood

-

4. Chris Middleton

-

5. McCartney

-

5. Nick Boothby

-

6. Barnes

-

6. Daryl Weston (c )

-

7. Whitehead

-

7. Clive Moyo-Modise

-

8. Winter

-

8. Craig Buckley

-

9. Lundy

1p

9. Danny Egan

-

10. Barlow

1

10. Chris Hirst

-

11, Mackay

-

11. Lee Blackshaw

1

12.Taylor

-

12. Dave Brooke (for Egan)

-

14. Depiaza

-

14. Nathan Neequaye (for Cooke)

-

15. Thomas

-

15. Leon Henry (for Buckley)

-

16. Warburton

-

16. Simon Wood (not used)

-

17. Rooney

-

17. Ben Richardson (not used)

-

Half Time: 1-0

Full Time: 2-1

Goals:

Goals:

Lundy (16pen), Barlow (81)

Blackshaw (80)

Mossleyweb Man of the Match:  -

Mossley's hopes of finishing the season with an appearance in two cup finals ended in disappointing, and somewhat controversial, fashion at Trafford's Shawe View ground on Tuesday night.

The contentious moment, or rather the most pivotal one of many, came sixteen minutes into what was otherwise an eminently forgettable first half.

After Scott Barlow had used his considerable pace to take him clear of the visitors defence, he was met head on by James Mann just inside the penalty area. The Lilywhites keeper went to ground and knocked the ball out of Barlow's path and to apparent safety before both players collided with one another.

To the Mossley players undisguised amazement however the referee brought the game to a halt and pointed to the penalty spot. It was a spectacularly wrong decision but also a gift for Trafford and one Andy Lundy accepted by converting the spot-kick.

As an equally incident free second half slowly crawled towards its conclusion, with only the occasional head scratching decision from an official to break the monotony, it looked increasingly like the one meaningful shot that had taken place in the entire game would win this Unibond President's Cup semi-final.

That changed though with twenty minutes to go when Mossley finally found some rhythm and, for the first time in the match, one of the two sides began to enjoy a sustained spell of pressure. Substitute David Brooke was the first visiting player to go close, glancing a header narrowly wide of the right hand post, before Alex Mortimer and Chris Hirst brought the first saves of the evening out of Trafford keeper Andy Read.

However, despite getting a hand to the ball, Read was unable to stop Lee Blackshaw's 80^th minute effort from nestling in the bottom corner of the net after the Mossley winger had cut into the penalty area from the left wing.

The joy at drawing level lasted barely thirty seconds. A hoofed clearance from deep within the Trafford half caught Mossley's back line cold and Barlow had all the time he needed to slot the ball past Mann for his and his sides second goal of the match.

It was the metaphorical kick in the teeth for the Lilywhites but to their credit they pushed hard over what little remained of the game for an equaliser that would take the tie to extra-time. Unfortunately it wasn't to arrive before the final whistle did and with its shrill sound Mossley bowed out of the competition at the last but one hurdle.

report by SJNR

pics by Aaron Flanagan

pics by Smiffy