Mossley gave an excellent second half performance to earn a point against Wakefield at Ossett Town’s Ingfield ground on Saturday.

Steve Halford and Peter Band returned to the side after injury with the latter partnering Cameron Darkwah up front. Nick Swirad was preferred to Tom Ingham at right back while Kayde Coppin got the nod over Danny Queeley in the starting line up.

The game couldn’t have begun worse for Mossley as they found themselves behind in only the second minute.
Mossley were pushing forward when a pass was intercepted in midfield allowing Brandon Kane to get clear on the right and he hooked the ball past the advancing Martin Pearson from the right corner of the box.

Wakefield looked happy to sit on their lead and made few inroads into a well drilled Mossley defence thereafter.

Mossley struggled offensively playing up the Ingfield slope in the first half but still created the better chances. Darkwah was twice denied by giant home keeper Jan Zolna while a perfect Joe Heap cross saw Alex Byrne head wide with the better positioned Peter Band racing in behind him.

The second half saw Mossley take control of the game and chances started to arrive. Zolna again denying Darkwah while Joe Heap’s angled drive struck the far post with Zolna well beaten.

Dan Queeley replaced Band and Tom Ingham replaced Swirad as Mossley went in search of that elusive equaliser.

Darkwah was then booked for a late challenge on Zolna after the Wakefield stopper had denied him yet again.
In a rare Wakefield attack Hegarty saw an effort fly across the face of the Mossley goal but it was all Mossley by this stage.

Queeley was proving a handful for the big home centre backs while Darkwah was constantly looking to make probing runs.

With five minutes remaining on the clock Lee Constantine replaced Heap and Mossley applied yet more pressure. The home side finally cracked two minutes from time when Hilton climbed all over Queeley in the box and the referee awarded Mossley a penalty. Lee Rick stepped up to send Zolna the wrong way from the spot and land Mossley a more than deserved equaliser.

Mossley nearly snatched the points in stoppage time when Darkwah fired in a great shot that was heading for the bottom corner but Zolna got down well to his left to turn the ball away.

Wakefield won a free kick just outside the box in the closing seconds but the impressive Mossley defence held firm and despite the Lilywhites completely dominating the second half the points were shared.

Report by Wizard