Rowney hit the bar with a dipping shot, Richardson and Coppin combined to force a good save from Barford, Rowney failed to make a telling connection to Ash Young’s curling cross and Hind used his body well to shield a long ball and shoot first time across the keeper, Barford again making a good full length save.The Lillywhites were in complete control, so Ossett’s 30th minute goal came as a complete shock. A lapse in concentration did for them, as Mather switched off and allowed Poole to get behind him on the wing. Poole put in a delicious cross and Corner jumped highest to head into the top corner from 10 yards.
A minute later, Pearson had to save at the feet of Poole as Ossett worked the ball right and looked to double their advantage and, after Coppin had lifted an attempted lob just wide, they did just that. A low free kick squirmed through a forest legs, skimming off numerous boots, and fell to Corner at the far corner of the 6 yard box. His first time shot still had time to wiggle between another pair of legs before hitting the back of the net.
The better side, yet 2-0 down at the break. Mossley had to trust themselves in the second half, that the way they had played would get its reward. There was a tweak, Halford making way for Madeley to change the shape to 4-3-3, and the side set about their work brightly.
Coppin had a turn & shot blocked at the edge of the area whilst Gorton met a cross with a textbook downwards header, unfortunately straight at the keeper when either side of him would have meant a goal. However, it took until the 62 minute for the unusual breakthrough.
Adam Mather swung a low corner in from the right. Any type of connection might have seen it cleared but both forwards and defenders missed the ball which curled into the net.
Tails up, Mossley levelled just 5 minutes later. Ossett expected a long Ash Young throw in but he went short to Mather, whose pass set Young free on the left to swing a cross in. Madeley’s connection wasn’t clean but sent the ball goalwards, but Barford looked set to gather until Hind nipped in and poked it home.
From here, you’d back Mossley to win, but those odds changed in the 71st minute when Ash Young went in two-footed in midfield. He was off the floor and there was never any doubt that a red card would be shown, and sure enough the referee sent Young off.
Despite the set-back, Mossley looked for the win. Madeley broke from his own half and arrowed a run to goal, beating 2 or 3 defenders, only for Barford to save with his body as he looked to net another goal of the season contender. Then, with 6 minutes to go, Coppin latched onto a long ball, advanced into the area and was felled as he shaped to shoot. Somehow, given that Coppin was behind the defenders and on the penalty spot, the referee chose not to deem this an ‘obvious goalscoring opportunity’ and allowed Owen to get away with a yellow card. Nevertheless, Coppin netted the penalty, and Mossley had just a few minutes to hold on and claim a memorable win.
They couldn’t quite manage it. In the 89th minute Lucas was picked out completely unmarked on the left side of the area with a crossfield pass and had time to control and finish making it 3-3.
It might have been worse. Had Owen’s clipped shot gone in instead of hitting the bar the injustice would have been excruciating for the team, given that he shouldn’t have been on the pitch, and a point was the very least Mossley had earned.
Report by Jonathan Haggart
