Mossley won their first FA Trophy tie in three years when beating Lancaster City by the odd goal in five at Seel Park on Saturday.

It was the Lilywhites clinical finishing that put paid to Mossley’s oft times ’bogy’ side with the home side fully deserving of their hard won victory.

Lancaster applied the early pressure but the visitors shooting was wayward and when they did find the target they found keeper Russ Saunders in good form.

Dougie Carroll and Andy Keogh proved to be a thorn in Lancaster’s side throughout the game with Keogh’s delicate flicks and passes regularly finding the lively Carroll who was unfortunate not to help himself to a first half hat-trick.

Mossley took a 19th minute lead when Keogh’s flick round the corner put Dougie Carroll through a gap and the young striker advanced before planting the ball into the far corner of the net giving City keeper Mike Hale no chance.

Mossley now had their tails up and Carroll again burst through only this time his effort went inches past the post.

The lead was doubled on 35 minutes. Keogh again made space for himself before slipping Carroll in again and this time he made no mistake as he again finished with aplomb for his eighth goal of the season.

Lancaster halved the lead five minutes later. The otherwise faultless Kevin McGrath conceded a needless free kick and Garry Hunter’s in-swinging set piece from deep on the left somehow eluded everyone and found it’s way into the Mossley net off the inside of the far post.

City’s attempts to break down the Mossley defence again were constantly thwarted by their forwards inability to stay on-side with the assistant’s flag a regular feature of City’s failed attempts to play long balls through the channels.

Mossley’s two goal cushion was restored on the stroke of half time. Good work by John Bennett and debutant Luke McCarthy created a goalmouth scramble which saw Keogh hit the post, Carroll have his rebound shot saved before the ball broke to Louis Horne ten yards out. The ex Scarborough Athletic man finding the net for his third goal for the club.

The second half saw Mossley close the game down well with chances at either end at a premium. Andy Keogh coming closest for Mossley when Hale somehow saved his point blank effort that looked a certain goal after some more super work on the right by ’man of the match’ Carroll.

Lancaster were given a glimmer of hope with ten minutes remaining as substitute Danny Mahoney fired a great 25 yard shot past Saunders.

It should have been ‘game on’ for Lancaster with a chance of a draw now a possibility. However, apart from forcing one fine save out of Saunders the visitors lacked ideas on how to break Mossley down and it was the Lilywhites who came closest to scoring again when Ryan Hopper’s goal bound shot was blocked on the line.

The final moments were played with Keogh and substitute Danny Broadbent effectively keeping the ball in the corner and the Lilywhites were through to the next round.

Report by Wizard