After four successive victories Mossley had to settle for a draw at Shawbridge on Saturday in what was as entertaining a goalless draw as you are ever likely to witness.

Steve Settle came in for the suspended Danny Egan while Nick Allen replaced the unavailable Jordan Goodeve in midfield. Nathan Neequaye who has recently returned from a spell at Glossop North End was named amongst the Mossley substitutes.

Mossley were out of the blocks very quickly and for the first twenty minutes or so the home side barely got a touch of the ball as Mossley passed fluently through midfield with Karl Brown, Nick Allen and Matty Kay passing Clitheroe off the park.

Chances and half chances went begging though which eventually allowed the home side to claw their way into the game.

The best chance of the first half fell to Steve Moore who was put through by Nick Allen’s incisive pass but the Mossley striker snapped at his shot and keeper Hanford was able to make an easy save.

The second half was an end to end affair with Clitheroe’s teenage debutant Williams on as a half time substitute causing Mossley some problems with his pace and movement but Mossley’s defence was again solid as a rock and they now haven’t conceded a League goal in over 300 minutes of action since mid September.

In the end a draw was probably the fairest result but Mossley may reflect that had they capitalised on their first half dominance then the three points would surely have belonged to them.

Report by John Cawthorne

Pics by Smiffy