It's hard not to imagine Mossley and Chorley having left Seel Park on Bank Holiday Monday with a mixture of conflicting emotions - both relief and disappointment at picking up a point in a game that either side could have easily won and lost.

The first half was one short on chances, good football and entertainment but happily for Mossley, it was one which concluded with them holding the lead.  The solitary goal that gave it to them came in the 23rd minute when Graham Kay looped a header into the net; an opportunity that presented itself following a short spell of pressure brought about by the visitors failure to clear their lines after a corner.

Such was the lack of anything else of note from either side (especially the Magpies) over the course of the opening forty five minutes, it seemed like that goal would be the defining incident of the day.  Unfortunately it was a train of thought that didn’t take into account the generosity Mossley have been displaying towards opponents this season at Seel Park.

In their previous two home games the Lilywhites have conceded goals almost immediately after the half-time interval and this match was no exception.  In fact it proved to be worse as Chorley struck twice in the opening four minutes of the second period to edge them selves in front.  Both goals stemmed from defensive errors with Terry Fearns punishing the home side for the first and Chris Amadi the second with a superb finish from the corner of the box.

With Mossley offering little in the way of an attacking threat, it looked increasingly unlikely that they’d be able to arrest the run of home defeats.  Thankfully though the rushes of blood weren’t solely confined to the Lilywhites back line as the visitors needlessly conceded a penalty eighteen minutes from time.  Matty Kay successfully converting the spot kick for his third goal of the campaign.

As the game balanced on the proverbial knife edge, both sides proceeded to squander chances in an error strewn final fifteen minutes to the game.  Mossley’s best opportunities fell to Matty Kay but twice he failed to connect properly with the ball as it bounced tantalisingly across the face of the goal.  While at the other end of the pitch Fearns should have secured the win for Chorley in injury time but his shot after being put clean through on goal was weak and off target.

On the balance of play the draw was possibly the fairest result and given that either side could easily have lost in the closing stages, I suspect both will ultimately be happy with the point gained.

Report by SJNR

pics by Smiffy