At a rain and wind lashed Queens Terrace this was a game that following a goalless first half hour and a comfortably in control  second half hour where Mossley looked like a safe bet to win, was followed by a reckless last half hour where the Lilywhites were a little fortunate to gain a point.

The weather conditions mostly controlled a lacklustre first hour but efforts on goal by Mike Fish and Mike Oates went wide while debutant keeper Ollerenshaw had only one save to make, tipping over a speculative long range effort from Moore.

Mossley, looking the more dangerous side, took the lead in the 34th minute as Fish played the ball as Steve Settle burst into the box to control well and crash home from an acute angle on the right.

The second period continued with Mossley holding the upper hand but few chances were created, the best of which came when Settle broke down the right only to square the ball behind the in-rushing Oates while Chris Rowney's dipping free kick came back off the bar.

At the other end Ollerenshaw was untroubled until Ossett replaced one ex Mossley player with another in the 63rd minute as Gareth Hamlet came on for Martin Allison. Within two minutes of Hamlet's arrival Ossett were level. A shot from 20 yards somehow squirmed from Ollerenshaw's grasp and Michael Senior bundled the rebound home from close range.

Ossett buoyed by the goal and backed by an ever increasing wind started to shoot on sight and Ollerenshaw was quickly called into action making a superb save to deny Hamlet.

Mossley were then reduced to ten men on 73 minutes when Chris Rowney spoke out of turn to the referees assistant who in turn attracted the referee's attention with a raised flag and Rowney received his marching orders with a straight red card.

Now Ossett sensed victory was possible but it was Mossley who created the next chance and what a chance it was. The referee over-ruled his assistant to give Mossley a right wing throw in, which was quickly taken leaving Mossley with three players ahead of the last defender. Incredibly the chance was lost as Settle's simple pass somehow arrived just behind Matty Kay who's attempt to adjust took the ball just beyond substitute Lee Blackshaw who hit the outside of the post after recovering the ball. A truly bizarre incident.

In a frantic last ten minutes Ollerenshaw twice saved when faced with one on ones and acrobatically palmed away a rasping 25 yarder that was headed for the top corner as Mossley clung on to salvage a point when three points had seemed far more likely 30 minutes earlier.

Report by Wizard