With the team decimated by injury and suspension Mossley travelled to League leaders Chester on Saturday bereft of six first team players and were always going to be ‘up against it’, and so it proved.

Chester looked a very well organised side who played some neat controlled football while Mossley in truth never got to grips with their loftily placed opponents.

The game had opened at a lively pace and both sides passed the ball well in the early stages. Mossley were the first to have scoring chance when Ben Richardson curled a free kick around the Chester wall only to see Chester’s debutant keeper Chris Sanna, signed from Colwyn Bay, make a good save diving to his right.

Unfortunately that was the last sight of goal that Mossley had in the first half as Chester began to take control of the midfield, a grip that they then maintained throughout the remainder of the game.

With the midfield being outplayed Mossley were able to offer little service to front men Oates and Egan and both were left foraging for scraps. Lee Blackshaw looked Mossley best option of an outlet but he received little service.

Defensively Mossley were mostly sound with returning skipper Graham Kay having a solid return to the side alongside on loan Michael Thomas, who had another good game.

After Ollerenshaw had made a couple of good saves to keep Mossley level, Chester broke the deadlock in the 25th minute when home skipper George Horan headed home a right wing cross.

Danny Warner didn’t return after the half time break with Cavell Coo his replacement. Coo showed good ability both on and off the ball and looks a useful acquisition on this showing.

Mike Oates had a great chance to equalise at the start of the second half but fired wide when well placed and that was pretty much that for Mossley when Chester scored their second on 56 minutes. Michael Wilde deflecting home a driven left wing cross that he didn’t seem to know a lot about.

Chester added a third in the 84th minute following an unlucky handball in the box. Wilde scoring his second and his side’s third from the penalty spot.

Report by Wizard