Mossley earned the right to a replay in Saturday’s FA Trophy tie at Northwich Victoria with a hard working performance, where with a little more accuracy in the finishing department, a deserved win might well have been achieved.

The Lilywhites opened the brighter side and dominated the early exchanges. Dave Short fired narrowly wide with a powerful shot and Mike Fish was unlucky to see his header come back off the far post.

However, the home side slowly crept into the game and created a half chance or two of their own before taking a 32nd minute lead. An angled through ball by Mike Brewster found Jamie Hinchcliffe cutting in from the left and he scored with a neat finish from ten yards.

Mossley were unlucky to lose skipper Kyle McGonigle a few minutes before the break with an ankle injury. He was replaced by Ciaran Harper.

A further blow came when Jason Hill didn’t re-appear for the second half through injury and a further reshuffle saw Bury loanee Robert Bourne as his replacement.

However, Mossley found an equaliser four minutes into the half as Tom Pratt was brought down in full flight by Lanre Olopade and Mike Fish stepped up to slam home from the resultant spot kick.

Five minutes after the goal Vics were reduced to ten men when a reckless challenge by Simon Lakeland on Mark Haslam saw the home side’s midfielder receive a straight red card to give Mossley further impetus.

The Lilywhites generally dominated proceedings thereafter and created several openings with Fish, Dave Short and substitute Bourne all going close.

Liam Flynn saved well from a Vics free kick but Mossley looked the likelier winner but were unable to break down a stubborn home rearguard and so to Tuesday’s night’s Seel Park replay with a home tie against Farsley Celtic and £2,200 in FA Trophy prize money awaiting the victors.

Wiz