.Despite horrendous weather conditions Mossley made light work of beating last season’s play off finalists Cammell Laird at a saturated Seel Park on Saturday.

The Lilwyhites defended competently to record a rare clean sheet with the visitors forwards failing to create a meaningful chance in the entire 90 minutes.

The first 40 minutes saw very little in the goalmouth action at either end with the game taking place predominantly in the midfield areas where Simon Gallanders and Dean Warburton were generally dominant for the home side.

Lairds insistence on trying to play down the channels was ineffective as the Mossley defence mopped up superbly and were rarely troubled.

The first real chance of the game came eight minutes before the break when Lairds keeper Atherton had to get down smartly to deny Dougie Carroll’s flicked header.

However, Mossley were soon in front. On 41 minutes the ball broke centrally to Luke McCarthy some 25 yards out and the Mossley winger hit a fierce drive that moved in the air to fox Atherton for his first Mossley goal.

1-0 became 2-0 in Mossley’s next attack as Tom Pratt cut inside from the left wing and rifled home his long awaited first Mossley goal from 15 yards as the Lairds defence back-peddled away from him.

Mossley survived a goalmouth scramble in the last action of the half as Lairds applied their only spell of pressure of the game.

The second half saw Mossley in cruise control. Lairds being totally unable to create anything worthwhile as pitch conditions deteriorated in the heavy rain.

Lairds were reduced to ten men in the 70th minute when half time substitute John Atkinson swung an off the ball elbow at Kevin McGrath and promptly received a straight red card.

Mossley had two great chances to increase the lead. Tom Pratt’s break down the right saw him pull a great low cross into the path of the usually lethal Dougie Carroll, but the Mossley hot-shot rifled the ball against the bar when it looked easier to score. Substitute Danny Broadbent had a chance when he raced through a gap but he chose to go for power and rifled over when a more delicate effort would surely have brought reward with the Lairds keeper in no-mans land.

Now, unbeaten at home since the end of August, Seel Park is quickly becoming a fortress. Long may it continue!

Report by Wizard