Mossley did their play off hopes no good whatsoever with a disappointing performance on a difficult surface in their first ever visit to reigning Northern Counties East Champions Brighouse Town.

With an unchanged side Mossley started brightly with Sam Robinson going close in the opening salvo. However, the home side scored with their first attack in the 5th minute.

Powerful centre forward Ernest Boafo ran at the Mossley defence who failed to deal with his threat and he was given both time and space to blast home a powerful shot from ten yards.

The game then went from end to end as both defences struggled to cope with the other teams forwards as both sides created opportunities.

Rio Ahmadi had a great chance to equalise amid a spell of Mossley pressure but screwed his shot wide of the far post.

Brighouse strikers Boafo and Isaac Baldwin were dangerous foes and it was they who combined to claim the home side’s second three minutes before the break. Josh Granite lost possession under pressure and Boafo broke clear before squaring to Baldwin to slot home unopposed.

It could have been even worse for Mossley as Boafo went close moments before the interval.

The unusually ‘out of sorts’ Granite was replaced by Dean Warburton at the break but Mossley now had it all to do and a hill became a mountain just three minutes into the half. Ryan Hall’s shot came back off the post and the livewire Baldwin reacted quickest to stretch the home side’s lead to 3-0.

Mossley were still showing their usual strong character despite trailing heavily and finally clawed their way back into the game on 65 minutes. Mossley won a free kick deep on the left. Kyle McGonigle rifled in a great ball that home keeper Giles fumbled for Rio Ahmadi to tap home from close range.

Mossley’s urgency increased as did Brighouse’s desperation as Mossley mounted a series of attacks and began to dominate for the first time in the game.

A strong shout for hand ball in the box was waved away as Mossley probed for ways through a now massed home defence.

Finally, Mossley were given real hope with almost ten minutes left on the clock. Tom Pratt burst down the right wing and his perfect cross was headed home at the far post by Ahmadi.

The Lilywhites huffed and puffed forward as the Brighouse defending became more and more desperate. Mossley did create a couple of serious chances but Ahmadi was denied by Giles as he burst through and Tom Pratt fizzed a shot centimetres wide as the game entered it’s final minute.

However, Brighouse held on to complete an unlikely double over the Lilywhites, who, with a now harder road to travel towards that still possible play off place, will need to bounce back quickly if they are to stay in touch with the chasing pack.

Wiz

Smiffy's pics

Rio Ahmadi makes it 2-3