A healthy 315 gate saw Mossley come up against Evo-stik League Premier Champions and Blue Square North Promotion favourites FC Halifax Town in the season opener at Seel Park on Saturday.

The new look Lilywhites did well in the first half and were unlucky to trail 2-1 at the interval but after making several half time substitutions defended poorly in the second period to finishing well beaten by a slick and efficient Halifax side.

Halifax took the lead in the 14th minute when the highly rated Jamie Vardy netted a rebound after Martin Pearson had pushed away Scott Hogan’s effort.

Mossley equalised two minutes later when Joe Heap curled home a superb free kick from 25 yards after a foul on Dave McNiven.

Halifax edged in front on 39 minutes when Danny Lowe’s speculative shot from distance took a big deflection off Peter Band to wrong foot Pearson.

Following six half time Mossley changes Vardy stretched Halifax’s lead on 55 minutes firing home from close range and Lee Gregory made certain of a visitors win two minutes later when he capitalized on some poor defending. Gregory rounded off the scoring on 65 minutes with a fortuitous bounce off the crossbar as both sides eased off the gas in the closing stages of a warm afternoon.

Report by Wizard

pics by Smiffy