Mossley’ kept their play off hopes alive with a well deserved victory at relegation haunted Radcliffe Borough at Stainton Park on Saturday.
In truth, the win was as comfortable as it gets at this level as Boro looked a poor side and never throughout the 90 minutes troubled Liam Flynn’s goal with anything more than token attempts.
Mossley enjoyed first use of the Stainton Park slope and went ahead as early as the seventh minute. Andy Keogh placing a low ball from the right wing into the path of Matty Purcell who easily sidestepped his marker before placing his shot into the corner of the net well beyond the dive of Boro keeper Chris Cheetham.
The game degenerated into a scrappy affair thereafter but with Mossley comfortably in control of the situation.
The closest the home side came to troubling the Mossley goal came when right back David Brown headed wide from a corner.
Mossley were a little careless in possession on a dry hard surface but Boro had little to offer in response and were constantly under pressure when trying to play out from the back with the Lilywhites effective midfield stifling any threat.
The second half followed a similar pattern with Mossley dictating play, but, despite creating several half chances were unable to put the game to bed.
Danny McDonnell’s great run and dribble from the left wing saw the ball nicked away from him by Rio Ahmadi as he was about to shoot but the Iranian striker’s effort was deflected away for a corner.
Mossley won a succession of corners and any number of crosses coupled with Caldon Henson’s long throws causing much havoc in the Boro box.
Matty Purcell was yellow carded for a dive despite having been blatantly tripped in the box and a second penalty appeal was waved away as Woods clashed with Tom Pratt as the Lilywhites winger drove into the home box.
The match killing second goal finally arrived on 78 minutes.
Bennett’s short corner on the right was worked into the area by Keogh who held the ball up on the edge of the six yard box before setting for John Bennett to rifle home his first goal of the season from ten yards.
The Lilywhites were unruffled by a couple of late Boro corners that came to nothing and the result and another priceless three points were confidently secured to keep the possibility of extending the season alive and kicking with seven more ’cup finals’ to play.
Wiz