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