Mossley slipped to a second successive 1-0 away defeat on their visit to Trafford on the final Saturday of 2017, the game decided by a second half penalty kick.

Like the preceding match at Glossop It was again a game of few scoring chances for either side.

Trafford looked the more threatening side in the first half but the Mossley back three of Jamie McLellan, Tom Dean and Declan Evans coped well with everything the home side could muster.

The first real opening of the game didn’t arrive until the 36th minute when a Jack Dorney pass released Mark Derbyshire who was denied by a great block save by Oliver Martin.
Martin was in action again soon after when denying Dorney’s 20 yard effort.

Rio Ahmadi and Matty Crothers coming closest for Mossley in the half but Crothers shot from outside the box cleared the home bar and Ahmadi saw his effort was easily gathered by Trafford stopper Grant Shenton.

The second half again saw neither side threatening greatly as the game became compressed in midfield and the final pass from both sides was somewhat disappointing.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 71st minute. Trafford substitutes Aaron Burns and Michael Monoghan were both involved in a move that saw Martin carelessly upend the latter for a clear penalty and hotshot Aaron Burns stepped up to send Martin the wrong way from the resultant spot kick.

Mossley tried hard for an equaliser and Mason Duffy saw his 20 yarder fly narrowly past the left upright with Shenton well beaten and in the final minute Mike Fish flashed a header equally close to the same post from Liam Ellis’ right wing cross but Trafford were able to hold on to take the points in a disappointing end to 2017 for the Lilywhites.

Wiz

Martyn Nolan's pics > >