Mossley continued their excellent run of form to make progress in the Carlsberg FA Trophy with an impressive 2-1 victory at Warrington Town a\t Cantilever Park on Saturday.

Playing with the wind at their backs Warrington opened on the front foot and Ashley Ruane had two early chances but was denied by Andy Farrimond on both occasions.

However, after the early flourish it was the Lilywhites who took control. Mossley won a right wing corner in the 7th minute. Tom Pratt’s cross was headed down by Tom Dean and Andy Keogh controlled and turned on the proverbial sixpence to fire home through a crowded box from ten yards.

Lively Mossley threatened a goal with every attack and doubled the lead five minutes later. Pratt took on and beat his marker for pace down the right wing before whipping in a powerful driven cross which eluded home keeper Karl Wills and saw Mike Fish stoop to head home from close range at the far post.

Warrington’s insistence on hitting many angled high balls in the general direction of Mossley’s goal was generally forlorn as centre backs Dean and Granite confidently won their headers and kept home strikers Ruane and Steve Foster quiet for the most part.
On the only occasion that Warrington did find a clear sight at goal Andy Keogh was on hand to head off the line following a home set piece.

It was ex Mossley man Foster who received the game’s first yellow card when he hacked down Matty Purcell to the left of the Warrington box and Oliver Devenney’s powerful free kick saw Wills forced to make a fingertip save.

The second half saw the home side enjoy more possession as Mossley sat deeper and played on the break. It was a ploy that seemed to work as Warrington attacks constantly broke down before they reached the danger area as the Lilywhites defended their lead. In fact it was Mossley who had the better chances to ’put the game to bed’ with some dangerous breakaways. Tom Pratt twice, Andy Keogh twice, Mike Fish and substitute Saul Henderson all failed to score from good positions and a potentially nervous last few minutes was then guaranteed when a cross from deep on the left saw Foster glance a header beyond Farrimond’s reach to half the deficit.

However, Warrington lacked the guile to find an equaliser and a David Mannix’s free kick which flew wide was the closest the home side came to finding what would have been a hardly deserved equaliser.

So it’s Mossley who march on in the FA Trophy, £2,000 richer and to an away tie at New Mills in the next round on Saturday 1st November.

Wiz