Played in extremely strong winds, this Seel Park fixture against Padiham was never going to be a classic, and so it proved as Mossley slipped to a 1-0 home defeat. The first time the Lilywhites have failed to score in a home League game this season.

Mossley with first use of the wind advantage were soon under pressure as the busy, hard working visitors won a couple of early corners. Mossley responded and forced some pressure of the own but the delivery in the danger areas was generally poor.

Lewis Nightingale flashed shots narrowly either side of the post, while Dougie Carroll and debutant Brandon Windsor brought fine block saves out of Padiham keeper Davis.

The major talking point of the half was an incident just before the break that saw a player from each team sent off. Padiham’s Louis Mayers made a dangerous challenge on Mark Haslam and the Lilywhites Charlie Anderson then retaliated in the ensuing melee. Anderson and then Mayers were both shown straight red cards to end the half on a sour note.

Mossley replaced new boy Windsor with Kyle McGonigle at half time to bolster the defence. Unfortunately for Mossley the wind increased in the second half now joined by driving rain, meaning that the Lilywhites struggled to make meaningful inroads into the Padiham half. Meanwhile Padiham’s greatest threat came from set pieces and there were a couple of nervy moments in the Mossley box as the ball swung viscously in the increasing wind.

At the other end, Dougie Carroll was unlucky to see his 20 yard drive come back off the post while Davis made a great save to tip over Richard Bennett’s fierce 25 yard drive.

The match winning goal came on 79 minutes and it was a moment of real quality. Padiham’s Kieron Pickup received the ball midway inside the Mossley half and skipped past a number of challenges before taking the ball across the face of the home goal, fending off the challenge of Mossley keeper Russ Saunders and slotted home from ten yards.
Mossley huffed and puffed forward into the driving wind to try and salvage something but it was not to be and Padiham celebrated at the whistle like they had won a cup final.

Report by Wizard