If top of the table Lancaster City are the benchmark for success in the UniBond League then on this showing Mossley have nothing to fear from anyone.

The Lilywhites dominated the game from start to finish at a windy Giant Axe but came away point-less following a controversial last minute breakaway goal.

Mossley were on top from the off making light of the strong wind and a bumpy and mostly bare surface. Matty Russell, in midfield in place of Nick Allen, and Jordan Goodeve dominated the midfield battle and only some frantic defending kept the Lilywhites at bay. Lee Blackshaw coming closest when his curling free kick from the right almost caught out keeper Fearon as he spilled the ball before it was booted to safety.

Lancaster’s long ball game certainly wasn’t in the slightest bit pretty and wasn’t causing any consternation for the Mossley back three which included Ben Richardson replacing suspended skipper Graham Kay.

The Lancaster goal lived a charmed life with a massed defence hoofing clear at every opportunity. It was very much against the run of play when the homesters took the lead on 32 minutes. Crewe loanee Jordan Connerton cut inside Andy Russell and Adam Farrell squeezed the ball past Collinge from six yards.

Mossley continued to play all the football but a goal wouldn’t come and the Lilywhites were left rueing missed chances as they went in a goal down at the break.

Playing into the wind in the second half one would have expected Lancaster to press home their advantage and they nearly did as a rare home corner was cleared off the line but that was basically it from City as they sat back and continued to boom the ball forward to the isolated Connerton who was second best to Andy Watson all afternoon.

Mossley’s pressure continued with lucky blocks and bad bounces being Lancaster’s best form of defence and justice finally looked to have been done when substitute Mike Fish fired home through a crowded box after good work by Steve Settle with just five minutes remaining.

Mossley sensed a winner and continued to attack their shell-shocked hosts, though a better option at that stage may have been to settle for a point.

There was little over a minute left on the clock when sub Nathan Neequaye was barged in the back as he tried to turn against the giant Jon Smith. The referee ignored Mossley’s appeals and the ball found it’s way to Farrell who hit a low 25 yard drive to Collinge’s left that the Mossley keeper perhaps could have dealt better with and the game was unbelievably lost with no time to hit back again.

The players, management and travelling fans all felt that something akin to a robbery had taken place with Mossley the highly unlucky and unfortunate victims and Lancaster cannot have enjoyed a more fortuitous win all season!

Report by John Cawthorne

pics by Smiffy

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