MOSSLEY ARE UP AND RUNNING
Division One North
Monday 25th August 2014 @ The Arbories Sports Ground, Padiham
Padiham
Mossley
(0) 1
(1) 2
Jordan (90+2)
Pratt (22), Bryant (59)
Mossleyweb Man of the Match: Tom Pratt


Padiham
1. Sean Davies
2. Lloyd Balazs
3. Tom Bradley
4. Craig Haynes
5. Martin Parkes (c)
6. Dom Craig
7. Mark Sharples
8. Michael Morrison
9. Louis Mayers
10. Spencer Jordan
11. Kurt Willoughby
subs
12. James Jenkins (not used)
14. Paul Fildes (not used)
15. Robbie Bromley (not used)
16. Louis Wilkes (for Bradley 80)
17. Nathan Hudson (not used)

Yellow cards:
Bradley, Morrison

Mossley
1. Ashley Frith
2. Ryan Barrow
3. Andy Brown
4. Kevin McGrath
5. Josh Granite
6. Charlie Anderson
7. Dean Warburton
8. Arron Hevingham
9. Andy Keogh (c)
10. Tom Pratt
11. Mitchell Bryant
subs
12. Tom Dean (not used)
14. Danny McDonnell (for Brown 73)
15. Daryl Weston (not used)
16. Christian Travaglini (for Pratt 85)
17. Brian Matthews (for Bryant 78)

Yellow cards:
Pratt, Bryant

Referee: Mr D. Fisher

 

 

Mossley took their first maximum points haul of the season with this well deserved victory at Padiham on Bank Holiday Monday, the narrow margin of the victory not really a true reflection on a game that Mossley controlled throughout.

Recent signing Mitchell Bryant led the line in the absence of injured skipper Steve Foster with Andy Keogh taking the armband and both players were in the thick of the early action causing the home defence plenty of problems.

Star of the show was however, Tom Pratt who tortured his marker Tom Bradley throughout the game. Pratt and Bryant both had early chances for the Lilywhites before Pratt opened the scoring on 22 minutes. Winning a challenge with Bradley on the right wing, Pratt weaved and stepped inside the last defender at pace before firing past Storks keeper Davis.

Mossley continued to press with debutant Lilywhites keeper Ash Frith rarely troubled as Warburton, Hevingham and Anderson controlled the midfield battle.

More chances came and went before Mossley were awarded a penalty on 40 minutes. Another surging run by Pratt saw the Mossley forward upended in the box by Haynes.
However Mitch Bryant’s firmly struck spot kick was well guessed by Davis and the home keeper saved smartly to his left.

Playing into the wind in the second half failed to slow Mossley’s progress as Bryant and Keogh both went close to doubling the lead before the second goal finally arrived on 59 minutes. Pratt’s deep far post cross met by Keogh who reaching the dead ball line pulled the ball across for Mitchell Bryant to score his first Mossley goal from close range.

Thereafter, it appeared to be a case of how many goals Mossley could score but a tendency to overplay in the final third saw Mossley fail to add to their tally.

In a rare Padiham raid Willoughby brought a fine flying save out of Frith while soon after the same player hit a thunderbolt shot narrowly over the bar.

Mossley were still asking all the questions though with Pratt in particular continuing to cause havoc, twice being denied good penalty shouts as the home defence struggled to cope with the youngster’s pace and movement.

The game was petering out to a comfortable victory when the home side bagged a consolation goal two minutes into stoppage time. Frith could only parry Mayers’ powerful shot and Spencer Jordan was in the right place to knock home the rebound.

Keogh and substitute Brian Matthews took the ball into the far corner to run down the closing seconds but Mossley had yet another chance before the whistle as Matthews’ well struck shot flew narrowly wide and that was that.

Wiz