Visitors Northwich Victoria stretched their unbeaten run to fourteen games at Seel Park on Tuesday night with a display of clinical finishing in what was otherwise an even contest.

The game opened brightly on a difficult Seel Park surface with both sides looking to play attacking football. Mossley had the first chance when Vics keeper Tim Deasy made a hash of a clearance and Brian Matthews spectacular goal bound volley was somehow headed to safety by a covering defender.

Vics had caused the Mossley defence few problems but took the lead somewhat out of the blue on 14 minutes. Vics won a free kick 25 yards out which Mossley defended well but the ball broke to Brian Summerskill some 25 yards out and he fired first time through a crowded box giving Lilywhites keeper Christian Thewlis no chance.

The game was becoming something of a midfield slog before the visitors fortuitously doubled their lead on 30 minutes. Thewlis saved well from Amis but as the ball broke towards the edge of the box a high bounce saw Andrew Brown accidentally clip Gary Burnett and the referee awarded a penalty that Summerskill stroked home.

Worse was to follow for Mossley as just three minutes later Vics star performer Jordan Hadfield stepped inside following a half cleared corner and rifled in a great shot into the far corner, again giving Thewlis no chance.

Mossley made a triple substitution at half time with Warburton, Carroll and Nightingale replacing Brown, Gough and Pratt which changed the shape of the Mossley attack and created a fresh impetus. Mossley pressed forward constantly thereafter but Vics keeper Deasy was in confident form and seemed to find himself on the end of practically every Mossley ball into the Vics box.

Mossley were given a lifeline in the 71st minute when the again impressive Wayne Welbeck was tripped in the box by Hadfield and Dougie Carroll stepped up to calmly slot home the spot kick.

Mossley now had their tails up with Warburton and Nightingale constantly probing and asking questions of Vics solid defensive line but it was the visitors who sealed the points in the 76th minute when Gary Burnett found the ball at his feet after a fortuitous deflection and the Vics hotshot rifled home from ten yards.

Mossley never gave up the ghost though and possibly deserved better reward than just an 88th minute consolation goal. Skipper James Blair scoring his first Mossley goal, placing a fine shot from outside the box just inside Deasy's left hand post.

Report by Wizard