For the second successive Saturday Mossley
were held to a draw by Prescot Cables though how this particular
game at Valerie Park ended goalless only the gods will know.
The previous week’s scrappy encounter on a tricky
Seel Park pitch looked like continuing on an equally poor
surface in a first half that could have been a continuation
of that match. However, this one came to life after the break
as
Mossley did everything except score in a dominant second
period.
A couple of scrambles in the Prescot box and a brilliant tip
over save by Peter Collinge were the only highlights of a
frankly poor opening 45 minutes.
The second half however, was like a different match. Mossley
opened very brightly and within a minute Ben Richardson was
unlucky not to open the deadlock when he struck a post.
Mossley continued to dominate the half. A succession of corners
caused anguish in the Cables defence with blocks aplenty denying
the Lilywhites.
Graham Kay was next to strike the woodwork when his looping
header beat Paxton and looked to be dropping into the net
but instead struck the bar.
Mossley were then denied what looked a cast iron penalty.
Richardson crossed low to the far post were Matty Kay was
poaching for a simple tap in. Instead, as he was about to
strike the ball into an empty net his legs were kicked from
beneath him from behind by McIntosh, with neither player touching
the ball. The referee bizarrely awarding a corner despite
the Mossley players’ lengthy protests.
After having a Mike Fish effort cleared off the line Mossley
struck the woodwork for a third time. Andy Watson picked up
a poor Prescot clearance and thundered a 25 yard drive through
a crowd of players. Prescot keeper Paxton couldn’t have
seen it until very late but diving the wrong way he somehow
turned the ball onto the bar off his flailing leg and Cables
survived in tact again.
Prescot stuck to a long ball game and tried to catch Mossley
on the break with the lively John Couch screwing a couple
of half chances wide.
After surviving so much Mossley pressure, Prescot hit the
bar themselves. Having won a corner, the ball wasn’t
fully cleared and Green saw his effort come back off the underside
of the bar.
Having survived so much pressure in the second half, Prescot
appeared the more relieved at the final whistle and the Lilywhites
may count this one as two points lost rather than one won.
The result does maintain new boss John Flanagan’s
unbeaten record, but he is of course still searching for his
first win after three successive draws. Hopefully that win
won’t be long in coming. Certainly if the team continue
to apply themselves in the way they did in this game then
they will surely win more than they lose.
report John Cawthorne