SUPER SAM'S SOLO SEALS SEMI

SEMI FINAL
Tuesday 12th February 2012 @ Seel Park, Mossley - Att: 160

Mossley

Maine Road

(1) 1
(0) 0
Madeley (29)
-
Mossleyweb Man of the Match: Sam Hind
1
Russell Saunders
1
Greg Hall
2
Mark Haslam
2
Alex Jay
3
Cavell Coo
3
Matthew Russell
4
Dave Young (c)
4
Kevin McGrath
5
Steve Halford
5
Jonathan Mason
withdrawn (84)
6
Ash Young
6
Neil Chappell (c)
7
Sam Madeley
1
7
Martin Hill
8
Ryan Hopper
withdrawn (73)
8
Andrew Kilheeney
9
Danny Broadbent
withdrawn (88)
9
Tom Bailey
10
Sam Hind
10
Matt Warburton
11
Kayde Coppin
11
Sam Hare
withdrawn (54)
Subs Subs
12
Peter Band
for Hopper (88)
12
Tom Bentham
for Hare (54)
14
Rick Sopel
for Broadbvent (73)
14
Matthew Struminskyj
not used
15
15
Richard Gresty
not used
16
    
16
Andy Thorn
not used
17
    
17
Paul Connor
for McGrath (84)
Referee: A. Cawtherley

Despite missing six players from Saturday's squad Mossley still had just enough to beat NWCL leaders Maine Road to reach a second successive Manchester FA Premier Cup Final thanks to a wonderful solo goal by Sam Madeley.

The Lilywhites were only able to name 13 available players for the semi final showdown with two of those - centre forward Danny Broadbent and midfield substitute Rick Sopel making their debuts.

Mossley dominated the opening period playing some super football and keeping the visitors for the most part penned in their own half. With four strikers in the team it was definitely a good idea to play as openly and expansively as possible and it made for an entertaining and oft times end to end game.


Sam Madeley

Maine Road don't top their division for no reason and once they settled down they looked a decent side, creating a couple of half chances without overly troubling keeper Russell Saunders, who will be delighted with his first Mossley clean sheet.

Despite their general dominance Mossley found it difficult to open a well drilled defence. That was until a moment of magic by Sam Madeley just before the half hour mark. Cavell Coo switched play superbly from left to right. Picking the ball up some forty yards from goal on the right wing Madeley quickly cut inside and raced past his marker into a gap, fending off two challenges at high speed and then lashing the ball home from the edge of the box giving Road keeper Greg Hall no chance.

Mossley had a couple of half chances to double the lead before the interval but failed to do so and Maine Road came out in more assertive fashion after the break. The impressive Matthew Warburton coming closest to an equaliser when his powerful 25 yard drive clipped the top of the Mossley bar.

At the other end Steve Halford headed over from a corner, the as ever extremely hard working Sam Hind and the lively jack-in-a-box Madeley all came close to doubling the lead, while at the other end Mark Haslam did well to clear the bar with a last ditch clearance as Road refused to lie down.

With time ticking away Mossley played keep ball near the right corner flag extremely well but, upon conceding a free kick in that area the visitors had one last chance to get forward. A mis-timed clearance by Halford then caused some discomfort as Maine Road won three successive corners with keeper Hall up in Mossley's box alongside almost the entire Maine Road team. Mossley survived the moment though when Martin Hill fired wide and the whistle soon sounded to the delight of the Mossley faithful.

Mossley will now meet Salford City, 1-0 winners over Droylsden in the other semi, in the final at Stockport County's Edgeley Park Stadium on Wednesday, 27th March.

Report by Wizard

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