Mossley kept their play off hopes alive at Harrogate Railway Athletic on Saturday with a dramatic winning goal deep into stoppage time.

It was a must win scenario for Mossley, in this their penultimate fixture of the Evo-stik League season, if they were to achieve their much cherished play off ambitions.

Victory was achieved in the 94th minute thanks to a goal by second half substitute Adam Mather who, in the words of team-mate Mark Haslam, "rose like a salmon" to head home Dave Young's left wing cross up the bizarre Station View slope.

Player-boss Steve Halford went with a 4-4-2 line up with Danny Broadbent partnering top scorer Sam Madeley up front. Whilst eventual match winner Mather was consigned to the bench after arriving late at the ground due to work commitments.

As would be expected, Mossley set off at a high tempo and were quick to create half chances with Broadbent and Madeley both having early efforts. However, after the early flourish the Lilywhites began to struggle to create anything meaningful as they repeatedly attempted to play through midfield on a bumpy surface which proved unproductive. That's not to say that a few more half chances didn't come Mossley's way as Madeley, Lewis Nightingale and Jay Gorton all came close to a goal.

Harrogate also created a couple of half chances most notably when right winger Danny Hull beat Nightingale and otherwise faultless Cavell Coo with a trick but Cartman's effort was blocked. Russ Saunders was brought into action saving a well struck Cartman free kick.

A change of tactic after the interval saw Mossley play more directly and promptly lay siege to the Harrogate goalmouth throughout an almost entirely one sided second half. Adam Mather replaced Nightingale early in the half and he was to be instrumental in just about every Mossley raid thereafter.

Chance after chance came and went, the ball pinging around the Harrogate box with great abandon, but that all important goal just wouldn't come. Shots and crosses came in from all angles, shots were blocked, flew narrowly wide, fizzed across the face of goal or were blocked somehow by the bulky frame of home keeper Sam Dobbs.

Kayde Coppin replaced Madeley on 68 minutes and he was soon in the action as he beat two defenders but fired wide. Dave Young saw a 20 yard free kick fly inches wide, Ash Young was narrowly off target and Jay Gorton headed just over as the Mossley onslaught continued unabated. It was all the home side could do to clear their lines as wave after wave of Mossley assaults bombarded the Railway box.

Steve Halford replaced Mark Haslam with eight minutes left on the clock as Mossley switched to a back three with Halford deploying as an extra forward. The gaffer provided an aerial threat that was previously lacking and the chances increased in regularity as a result.

An injury to the referee when he collided with a player held play up for a few minutes and ensuing added time proved to be vital for Mossley as with 94 minutes on the clock and just as it appeared that the home side had hung on for an unlikely point, up popped substitute Mather to send the traveling Mossley players and fans alike into joyous celebration.

Harrogate made a last ditch desperate attempt to find an equaliser as a midfield free kick was launched into the Mossley box, survived with a scramble and the final whistle sounded to scenes of celebration and relief that the play off challenge is still alive going into the last game of the season.

Report by Wizard

Match photos by Stephen Tomlinson