Mossley created enough chances in the first half to have won several games but failed to capitalize and finally succumbed in the second half, conceding three defensively soft goals as Mossley's shell-shocked players heads started to drop.

Mossley were without the injured Nathan Neequaye, Ben Richardson and Tom Ingham while Cavell Coo was named on the bench but was suffering with illness. Danny Queeley was recalled on the left of midfield while Rob Flint and Peter Band returned to the back four, Band having finally completed his two match ban.

However, both Band and Flint had a torrid afternoon as Band made the mistake that led to Salford's opening goal and Flint was given a very difficult test against the ever dangerous Scott Metcalfe that he struggled to come to terms with, particularly in that fateful second half.

The game opened with both teams looking to get forward but it was the home side who took the lead as early as the 8th minute. Band missed a header and got on the wrong side of the lively Danny Heffernan and the Salford forward hit a fine shot from the edge of the box that gave Pearson no chance.

Mossley's response was almost immediate as three minutes later Lee Rick fired a low ball into the box that Salford defender Josh Bardsley swung at but missed completely and Tom Denton stole in at the far post to rifle home his first Mossley goal.

Mossley then set about carving Salford's weak looking defence to ribbons but chance after chance went begging. Osebi Abadaki danced around the keeper and looked a certain scorer until the ball bobbled off his shin allowing for the home defence to get some cover and his deflected shot looped in the air for Denton to challenge but the Mossley big man was penalized for a foul on the keeper.

Abadaki again wriggled clear and this time was brought down for a 'nailed on' penalty but the referee awarded Mossley a corner, which it clearly wasn't. Lee Rick scuffed wide with the goal at his mercy while Salford keeper made a fine save to deny Danny Queeley. Keil O'Brien had a goalbound header cleared off the line as Mossley looked certain to take the lead but sadly it didn't happen for Mossley and they were made to pay in the second half.

Mossley's last real scoring chance came early in the second half when Denton saw his goalbound header cleared off the line by a covering defender.

Salford saw an injury to a defender bring good fortune though as centre back Raphale Evans limped off on 55 minutes to be replaced by striker Ben Beresford with Heffernan switching to a defensive role. Beresford then scored twice in the space of eight minutes. Both goals were close range finishes from low crosses, first from Metcalfe on the left and the second from Cayne Hanley on the right. Both wingers should have been closed down better and the central defence were absent for both finishes.

Salt was rubbed in Mossley's now gaping wounds in the 82nd minute when Gavin Salmon's speculative shot took a deflection that sent the ball spinning beyond Pearson's reach to give the score a flattering look.

Mossley were hit again a few minutes from time when Abadaki hobbled off with an ankle injury to compound the Lilywhites misery.

Mossley now need to quickly put this result behind them and look to recover quickly with a win against Cammell Laird on Boxing Day.

Report by Wizard