The talk before this game against Goole was that a 4-0 win would send Mossley top of the Evo-Stik Division One North, albeit with tongues firmly in cheeks.  However, Goole, managed by former Stalybridge boss John Reed, had made a poor start to the season, and as such a few believed that the Lilywhites could be top of pile come 5pm.

The talk after the game was that Mossley probably played better in defeat against Clitheroe the previous game and they were probably right.   However, points in the bag are what it’s all about, and you can bet that Mossley’s players will feel better about this performance than they did the previous Tuesday night.

Victory was particularly sweet as Goole had taken an early lead in the 5th minute.  Andrew Jackson collected a ball on his chest, back to goal, at the edge of the area, and with a faint to his left he sold a dummy that the defence all bought, only to pass the ball to his right into the path of the onrushing Bill Law, who clipped a shot across Martin Pearson into the net.

The home side were rocked and although Dave Young’s back flicked header forced a fine fingertip save from Higginson from the corner Goole nearly scored as the hoofed clearance saw Law behind the back line but he delayed his lobbed effort too long and found that the space to get the ball up and down and over Pearson had run out, and the ball went over the bar.

Coppin also forced a good save from Higginson before Mossley grabbed their leveller on 26 minutes.   Hind played a lovely reverse pass between full back and centre half for Mather.  He had a clear run from the by-line, and whilst his first attempted cross rebounded back to him, his second across the face of goal was tapped in by a gleeful Ben Richardson.

From then on it was mainly Mossley pressure, and Goole half chances only came when on the break.  Richardson nearly scored another when a deep cross landed at his feet, but it took him by surprise and bounced off them as he couldn’t adjust his body to direct. 

The lead came just before half time, and it was a goal worthy of winning any game.  A low free kick fell to Sam Madeley, 12 yards out.  With his back to goal, the ball sat up and invited the overhead kick.  So often they sail out of the ground, but Madeley’s technique was perfect and he got up of the floor to see his bicycled effort had hit the top corner.  It was an early contender for goal of the season.

There was an early flurry of action in the second half, Durham shooting wide for the visitors, Madeley and Hind both being unable to adjust their body to direct the ball goal-wards when it fell to them in the box and Hind standing on the ball as he tried to control a through ball that provided a good shooting opportunity.

After that though, the summer heat began to take its toll and the action petered out.  However, in the last 10 minutes Goole sensed a chance to pinch a point and almost did when hesitation between Young and Pearson allowed Law to nip in between goalkeeper and defender and win the header … only to see it go wide.

Pearson also tipped over a curling shot from the edge of the area, whilst Gavin Salmon should have hit the target when Coo & Coppin combined to play him in on the left.  However, Mossley had done enough to make it four wins out of five league games, and with their team in second place that’s surely a start that the management team would have readily taken had they been offered it at the start of the season.

Report by Jonathan Haggart

Smiffy's pics