Mossley and Runcorn Linnets were forced to replay this FA Cup Preliminary Round tie following a goalless draw at Seel Park on Saturday.

Both sides pretty much cancelled each other out over the course of a nip and tuck tie that could have swung either way at any moment, particularly near the end when both sides won successive corners. However, this was a day when defences dominated.

The Mossley back four of Tom Ingham, Keil O’Brien, Steve Halford, and Ben Fallows were in no mood to see a repeat of the previous week’s disappointing results and were, along with keeper Martin Pearson, good value for the clean sheet. Even when Mossley lost Halford to injury, substitute Nick Swirad was an able replacement.

It was at the other end that Mossley’s frailties in front of goal reared their ugly head again. With skipper Peter Band playing up front with Harry Noon, Mossley had a more physical presence up top, but still struggled to create chances with midfielders Cavell Coo and Kayde Coppin looking the most likely Mossley players to break the deadlock.

Coo forced a fantastic save out of Runcorn keeper Mottram in Mossley’s best chance of the first half after earlier firing narrowly over the bar while Coppin was proving more than a handful for his marker, the experienced Chris Fitzsimmons.

The second half saw Mossley dominate possession but attacks broke down in the final third as Runcorn defended stoically.

Coppin was unlucky to see a cheeky free kick come back off the post after a deflection while Noon wasted a good opportunity when a pass to Band would surely have resulted in a goal.

At the other end Pearson made a fantastic save to deny Holland with the referee inexplicably over-ruling his assistant to award Mossley a goal kick.

Mossley introduced the newly re-signed Steve Moore to the fray and he showed good positioning and movement and I the final ten minutes Jay Walcott, who had scored a hat-trick for the Reserves at Witton two days earlier, was given his first team debut but still a Mossley goal wouldn’t come.

Both sides forced late pressure with Cavell Coo coming closest when his header from Coppin’s excellent cross flew over the bar and the sides then having to meet again on Tuesday night at Runcorn’s Millbank Linnets Stadium to decide who will travel to Squires Gate in the next round.

Report by Wizard