Despite another fantastic Sam Madeley double strike, a mixture of missed chances and mistakes were to prove costly for Mossley in this unlikely 2-2 draw against lowly Wakefield at Seel Park on Saturday.

Mossley dominated just about the entire game with Wakefield rarely troubling the Lilywhites rearguard. But Mossley missed a host of chances to seal the game whilst leading 2-1 and ultimately paid the price when an unforced error led to the Bears scoring a surprise second equaliser with just eight minutes remaining.

The game had begun smoothly for the home side with the Lilywhites clicking into gear as first Mather and then Denham fired powerful shots just wide in the first five minutes.

Despite Mossley's dominance of the ball, the first real goalmouth action came in the 19th minute and Mossley were to score from it. Not just score from it, but score a goal that had it been on 'Match of the Day' they would be showing it for months to come. Mossley moved the ball quickly across midfield to Jay Gorton overlapping on the right. Gorton's deep cross was held up and laid off by Danny Broadbent to Sam Madeley on the edge of the box. Madeley, quick as a flash, leaped acrobatically to fire an unstoppable overhead scissor kick past Wakefield keeper Bennett who never even had time to move before the ball whistled past him.

Wakefield were dogged and determined but not particularly adventurous in attack and Mossley continued to force the pace. Chris Brown had a shot blocked after good work by Gorton and Bennett made a good save to deny Denham who looked a sure scorer.

Mossley were then sucker punched three minutes before the break. Wakefield were wrongly awarded a corner on Mossley's left wing. The ball was only cleared as far as Cullen, who's deep cross somehow found Caldon Henson completely unmarked at the far post and the powerful Henson had the simplest of tasks to head home from close range.

Mossley's response was ultra swift, in fact it took only 25 seconds for Mossley to retake the lead with a move of clinical quality. Straight from the restart the ball was played to Mather who burst down the left wing and crossed low across the six yard box for Madeley to sweep home his second goal and restore the lead the home side had surely deserved from their first half performance.

Mossley opened the second half again in determined fashion, looking to extend the lead. Brown was denied by deflection on the goal-line, Madeley was denied his hat-trick by an off-side flag, Madeley then fired straight at the keeper after a great move involving Broadbent and Denham. Another flowing move involving the same three players again saw Madeley test the keeper.

Mossley replaced Broadbent and Madeley on 63 minutes with Sam Hind and Kayde Coppin and Hind had a great chance when played through but he too shot straight at Bennett. Denham then raced clear of the Bears defence but Bennett blocked his shot to safety when a pass right to the supporting Hind would have given the Mossley sub an open goal tap in.

Mossley keeper Russell Saunders had been a virtual spectator but he was called into action to make a smart save at his right hand post from Clarke's powerful shot. Returning to the other end, Hind burst clear on the left and his cross was headed against the bar by Denham.

The sucker punch came in the 82nd minute. Chris Brown who had enjoyed a competent game up to that point needlessly misplaced a header straight into the path of Henson who surely couldn't believe his luck and promptly swept the ball home from 15 yards.

Mossley piled forward in the closing stages winning a succession of corners free kicks and long throw ins but to no avail. Mather coming closest, but once again the visitors 'man of the match' Bennett managed to save.

In all an extremely frustrating afternoon's work, Mossley's inability to finish the job when leading 2-1 was to prove their undoing and it was definitely and extremely disappointingly a case of two points dropped.

Report by Wizard

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