It was goals galore at a misty and partially snow covered Seel Park on Saturday as Mossley and Skelmersdale United battled out a controversial 4-4 draw.

Mossley had Jack Tuohy and Logan Jeffs back in the starting line up after lengthy injury lay offs as Mo Ali missed out through injury.

Despite the conditions the game was played at a high tempo with the visitors going close early on before Ollie Martin was able to smother the ball.

Mossley’s first chance saw Adam Latham burst clear on the right but his cross shot narrowly eluded Liam Ellis and the far post, but it was Mossley who broke the deadlock on 13 minutes. Declan Evans long ball was latched onto by Jack Tuohy and the ex Oldham man coolly slotted the ball Skem keeper Roberts.

Mike Fish then had a goal ruled out for the narrowest of off-side margins, Tuohy saw his near post effort rise over the bar and Fish hit the foot of a post as Mossley dominated proceedings.

A second goal seemed inevitable and it duly came on 31 minutes as Elliot Harrison poked home at the second attempt after being set up by Liam Ellis following a Mossley corner.

Ten minutes later it was three after Declan Evans was brought down in the box. Mike Fish made no mistake from the spot to send Mossley into the interval with a commanding and fully deserved 3-0 advantage.

It was to be a very different story after the break. Just four minutes into the half a deep free kick from Mossley’s left saw Jordan Darr head home and in the 63rd minute the arrears were reduced again when Harrison appeared to win a tackle in the box only for the referee to award Skem a spot kick, Mike Roddy duly converted from 12 yards.

Tuohy fired a free kick narrowly wide as Mossley looked to respond and Latham appeared to be pushed off the ball as he burst into the Skem box. However, the elements conspired against Mossley with five minutes left on the clock as Skem substitute Alaster Redmayne clearly at least 10 yards off-side was lost in the descending fog by the refs assistant and was allowed to race clear and secure Skem’s equaliser despite Mossley's vociferous protestations.

Justice appeared to have been served when Tom Dean headed home from Fish’s high right wing cross on 88 minutes but the drama wasn’t finished there. With the game entering stoppage time a Skem through ball saw Jordan Darr tucking away another equaliser again from a suspiciously off-side position and a dramatic and controversial eight goal thriller came to a close with the points shared.

A much better result for the visitors than the Lilywhites who failed to see out a game where maximum points looked almost certain.

Wiz

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