Mossley secured their Evo-stik League status with an impressive performance and win over their play off chasing neighbours Glossop North End in the final home game of the season at Seel Park on Easter Monday.

A lively opening saw Mossley force a couple of early corners with Liam Ellis and Dan Johnson both heading over the bar but it was Glossop who struck first with their first effort on goal.

A through ball from midfield saw Max Leaonard race clear to slot the ball past the advancing Will Jones from the left angle.

Glossop created the next chance which saw Leonard fire a 20 yard screamer just past the post but Mossley were asking plenty of questions with threatening crosses into the box that Glossop keeper Diba Musangu struggled to cope with.

Good Mossley pressure finally brought a deserved equaliser a couple of minutes before the break. Tom Pratt pulled the ball back from the right hand dead ball line and the inrushing Elliot Harrison's shot took a slight deflection to curl beyond Diba Musangu's reach.

The second half was only two minutes old when Glossop were reduced to ten men. Ex Mossley player Ben Richardson had been booked in the first half and when he lost possession to Mo Ali he tripped the Mossley midfielder as he attempted to race away and was shown a second yellow card and red for his troubles.

It proved to be a key moment as Mossley then took a complete grip on the game. The Lilywhites were doing all the pressing and creating all the chances, Glossop's goal was living a charmed life as only desperate defending and some spectacular goalkeeping was keeping Mossley at bay.

However, the much needed winning goal came with five minutes of normal time remaining. A long punt up field by Will Jones saw Liam Ellis out pace and out power his marker before placing a delicate lob over the stranded keeper to great cheers of celebration and relief for Ellis' totally deserved first goal for the club.

Seconds later Ellis almost had a second but his effort flew across the face of goal and apart from a couple of set pieces hit goalwards by Max Leonard, Glossop caused little threat to the Mossley goal as the minutes ticked by.

Five minutes stoppage time had past when Rob Flynn was penalised outside the Mossley box and he too having been booked earlier received a very slightly early shower. Mossley survived the free kick and a further three minutes of added time to secure that Evo-stik League football returns to Seel Park in August and to finish a tumultuous home season on a fully merited high

Wiz

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