Colwyn Bay looked every bit the side that had been hyped up as major promotion contenders in pre season as they dismantled a Mossley side who had promised much in the first half but were completely outplayed after the interval.

The Lilywhites started the game brightly and at a very high tempo. The north Wales club matched the Lilywhites in that respect and the game flowed from end to end at a sometimes frantic pace.

Mossley had probably the best of the early chances with the tireless Danny Dignan going close on a couple of occasions and Danny Egan missing a great chance at the far post from Sam Walker’s delivery. Egan also latched onto a through ball and rounded Bay keeper Chris Sanna but took the ball to far wide and his angled effort was cleared off the line.

Mossley took the lead somewhat fortuitously on the half hour as Sanna came for a cross he had no right to get and as he fumbled the ball Matty Kay was on hand to slot home a simple chance.

The lead lasted only three minutes though. A Mossley attack broke down in midfield and the ball was played quickly to the right wing were the impressive Eddie Jebb took possession. The exciting Seagulls winger the skilfully cut across the box before slotting home a fine solo goal.

Mossley were hit by the loss of Sam Walker shortly before the interval as he limped from from the field with what appeared to be a hamstring pull. Leon Henry was a natural replacement.

Right back Jonathan Jackson also failed to appear for the second half after he had received a knock midway through the first half that had left him struggling. This meant a rejigged defence for the second half with Dan Schwarz switching to right back and Matt Easter coming on for his first appearance at left back.

Easter sadly had a debut that he will quickly want to forget. It was his error that lead to the corner from which Colwyn Bay took the lead in the 52nd minute, but just how ex Woodley defender Danny Jarrett found the time and space to get two goes at beating Peter Collinge from the resulting corner will remain a mystery. But score he did and Mossley were behind for the first time in the match.

Just prior to that Mossley thought they had a penalty when Danny Egan was brought down from behind as he bore down on the Bay goal. The referee deemed the tackle outside the box and Danny Dignan forced a save by Sanna with a rasping daisy-cutter of a free kick that was then scrambled to safety.

A defensive mix up just three minutes later gave Colwyn Bay a two goal cushion as Anthony Sheehan finished clinically from ten yards to effectively end Mossley’s challenge win the game for the now rampant Seagulls.

There was a fracas after referee Mr Brabin had missed a blatant foul on Dignan by Jarratt and the Mossley number 10 reacted by chasing Jarratt and manfully upending him. It could have turned nasty as players from both sides pushed and argued. When matters had calmed down the ref restored order and Dignan and Jarrett saw yellow cards brandished in their directions.

Mossley’s only chance to pull a goal back saw substitute Nathan McDonald fire a shot across the face of goal without reward and the final nail in Mossley’s coffin came two minutes from time courtesy of a howler by the hapless Matt Easter. The ex Ashton and Woodley man was easily caught in possession as he dallied when he appeared to have time and space to pick a pass and Bay substitute Tom McGill had the easiest of tasks to complete the scoring and compound Mossley’s second half misery.

The Lilywhites will have to regroup quickly with the visit of another promotion favourite in the shape of Lancaster City next up at Seel Park.

Report by John Cawthorne

pics by Simon Howard