Mossley earned a third successive victory to lift themselves into the play off positions with a hard earned success over Scarborough Athletic at a rain soaked Seel Park on Tuesday night.

There was a late call up for new signing Andy Farrimond as Ash Frith reported sick two hours before the game and the former Atherton LR stopper enjoyed a competent if largely untroubled debut. Andy Brown came in for Ryan Barrow at right back in an otherwise unchanged side.

Farrimond was called into action in the first minute confidently holding on to a cross- shot from Bradshaw and soon after, a great run by Tom Pratt saw the lively Mossley wide man shoot narrowly over the bar as play switched from end to end.

Scarborough had the ball in the Mossley net around the half hour mark but the effort was ruled out for an off-side decision that the visitors hotly disputed.

The remainder of the half witnessed both sides pretty much cancel each other out with chances at both end at an absolute premium as the game threatened to aggressively boil over, not aided by some over fussy refereeing.

The real action came after the interval as Mossley took the lead three minutes after the restart. Andy Keogh headed forward between the two central defenders and Mitchell Bryant burst through the middle, held off both the Scarborough defenders and crashed an unstoppable shot past the stranded keeper Jason White.

Bradshaw fired wide for the visitors as they looked to respond but were gifted an equaliser moments later when John Bennett mis-timed a challenge on the former North Ferriby United legend Bradshaw and defender Jimmy Beadle rifled home the resultant spot kick.

The Seadogs then enjoyed their best spell of the game but were unable to break down a resilient Mossley defence despite their best efforts to force an opening and it was to be Mossley who regained the upper hand as the half wore on.

The Lilywhites won a succession of corners and one of them eventually led to the winning goal in the 72nd minute. John Bennett atoned for his earlier indiscretion when his right wing corner was cleared back to him. He then volleyed high across the visitors box to find Andy Keogh lurking with intent and the Mossley skipper hit a daisy cutter shot from 25 yards that appeared to skid under White’s dive on the greasy surface to the great delight of the majority of the 230 spectators present.

Mossley ought to have had a penalty when Bryant was clearly hacked down in the box but the referee was having none of it.

Substitute Adam Parkhouse, on his home debut, had a couple of efforts comfortably saved by White as Mossley strove to put the game to bed but it was inevitably the visitors who had the last chance of the game in the final moments. Bradshaw’s chipped shot flew narrowly wide across the face of the Mossley goal and the Lilywhites held on to earn another meritorious victory over one of the much fancied teams to leapfrog them in the League table.

Wiz

Smiffy's pics

Match winner Andy Keogh in action against Scarborough