Had the Mossley keeper, Peter Collinge, directed his poweful 90+2 header under rather than over the crossbar, only the meanest of Durham supporters would have begrudged the Lilywhites a thoroughly deserved share of the spoils: they had played the more attractive football while City ended up with all three points.

The visitors started off a mere shadow of the side City had outplayed only the previous week and challenged every ball, although it was City who went close to a goal on 7minutes when Amar Purewal slipped his marker before crossing to David Dowson at the near post, the latter\'s shot being deflected for a non-productive corner.

But on 12minutes City took the lead: Dowson set up Stephen Thompson who was sent sprawling in the box as he attempted to round Mike Jones; Collinge guessed right but Thompson\'s strike beat the keeper's full-length dive.

A minute later Andrew Stephenson was within a whisker of beating Collinge with a trademark distant lob before the keeper got down smartly to smother a Dowson shot, and Amar Purewal toe-poked past the post.

Mossley had to wait until the twenty first minute for their first goal attempt, a shot-on-the-turn in the six yard box by Kristian Dennis that lacked any power.

Back came City and only a superb diving save by Collinge kept out a powerful drive by Amar Purewal, the keeper then fisting clear off the same player\'s head as they both rose to meet a Tommy English cross.

City dominated the opening first half hour, and Thompson shot wide of the post after any number of City players had had pots at goal in the same movement.

Two minutes later Matty Kay gave Lewis Graham a comfortable save before Dennis had the City keeper at full stretch to fingertip away a sizzling drive.

The effort clearly buoyed Mossley and their cause was further advantaged when City lost the craft and graft of Elliot Cutts in midfield. Matty Kay had Lewis Graham at full stretch before sloppy defending gifted the visitors an unexpected equalizer, Chris Rowney hitting a short corner by Dennis through a crowd of players from outside the box.

City squandered two immediate chances to restore their lead when Thompson toe-poked wide of the advancing Collinge and Amar Purewal\'s shot was too near the keeper after he had been sent clear beyond the back four.

In the second minute of the second half Dennis wasted a good chance with a wayward shot and Lewis Graham had to desert his line to deny the same player three minutes later.

City seemed to have lost their initial verve and attacks were being halted with panicky clearances; in contrast, Mossley were knocking the ball about with increasing confidence and menace, a series of promising attacks culminating in Gareth Ayers hacking off the line on 76 minutes.

City got their second wind, but Amar Purewal was off target in a rare breakaway attack and Dowson hit a shot straight at Collinge before substitute Kyle McGonigal was only just wide on 80 minutes.

This latest threat galvanized City into positive action and Dowson broke clear to eventually beat Collinge inside the box with five minutes remaining. Two minutes later City seemed to have settled the match when substitute Jack Pounder scored City\'s third with a sweetly-struck left-foot drive to capitalize on a peach of an assist from Ayers.

A Dennis screamer from outside the box in the first minute of stoppage-time set the scene for Collinge\'s last-ditch effort as described earlier.

Arjun Purewal was simply magnificent both in the air and on the deck, Ross Wilkinson's head alone spared City a home defeat and Craig “Attila” Harbord timed to perfection some important crunching tackles which, if mistimed, would surely have given him first use of the shower.

Bad luck, Mossley and thank you to the “Clarence” who negotiated the latest episode in City's “Wonderful Life”, as they completed their March fixtures undefeated with four victories and two draws.

Repoort by Ken Milgate http://www.durhamcityafc.com