The 112 spectators, predominantly Mossley fans, who attended Saturday's match at Ingfield were treated to a pulsating end to end game between two sides going all out for maximum points.

Ossett fresh and buoyed by their midweek win over Ramsbottom faced a Mossley side still seeking their first victory after picking up only a solitary point from their opening two games. The Lilywhites made just one change to the side that drew at Wakefield on Tuesday with Sam Madeley replacing Dougie Carroll in the starting eleven.

After a less than frantic opening the game sprung to life in the 11th minute. Mossley, with the first use of the Ingfield slope, conceded a corner on Ossett's right wing. The ball was crossed for towering defender Nick Wood to head home at the far post.

Mossley's response was almost instant. The Lilywhites themselves won a right wing corner. Lewis Nightingale floated over the cross and centre back Kevin McGrath rose highest to powerfully head home from ten yards.

The game swung at pace from end to end. Madeley, Nightingale, Charlie Weir and Brian Matthews all had chances to put Mossley ahead while at the other end pacy wingers Fernando Moke and Luke Sharry were causing plenty of problems and the home side came close with Russ Saunders making a fine save to deny ex Farsley man Chris Walton and Steven Jeff heading narrowly wide from a far post cross.

Kyle McGonigle came close to scoring a 'goal of the season' contender when he won a solid tackle in midfield, skipped past the next challenge and fired a tremendous 35 yard piledriver goalwards to bring a fingertip save from home keeper Matthew Convey. This before Weir and the again impressive Nightingale both came close to breaking the deadlock just before the break.

The game continued in the same vein after the interval but Mossley were rocked in the 52nd minute when the quick and elusive Fernando Moke burst down the left, tricked his way into the box and fired into the far corner to put the home side ahead once more.

Mossley hit back with Andy Keogh, Madeley and Nightingale all unfortunate not to score but the game then appeared to go beyond Mossley's grasp in the 61st minute when Moke struck again, this time sneaking in from the right wing to fire home a deep cross from the left.

The Lilywhites were rocked but at no stage gave up the fight and continued to attack. Dougie Carroll replaced the speedy Matthews and soon after Danny Broadbent replaced the hard working Weir and Mossley deservedly reduced the deficit on 81 minutes. Carroll found space on the right to whip in a far post cross which saw Sam Madeley rise at the far post to head home from close range.

Then after a further couple of close calls at both ends Mossley found the equaliser. There were four minutes left on the clock when Carroll and Madeley worked a move on the left and teed up John Bennett who rifled a great curling shot from the edge of the box that left Convey grasping at nothing.

There was almost a further twist when Broadbent released Madeley on the left, but last season's top scorer hurried his shot and Convey was able to make a diving save to deny what would have been the perfect comeback.

It was another game which Mossley bosses Band and Morrison will feel they ought to have taken maximum points, but the team showed enough spirit, fight and a willingness to attack to battle back from a two goal deficit and to show that a first victory cannot be far away. It appears that this Mossley side will provide plenty of entertainment in the coming months and quite possibly plenty of goals too.

Report by Wizard