If Mossley are to achieve their ambitions this season then it is crucial that they put away their chances. On Saturday’s first ever visit to Market Drayton they didn’t and paid the price. Dropping two points in the final minute of a game that the Lilywhites completely dominated.
Winning the toss and choosing to take first advantage of the strong, blustery end to end wind, Mossley set about carving a hatful of chances as the home side struggled to have any impact on the game.
Mason Duffy fired narrowly wide from the edge of the box, Ben Halfacre hammered a free kick inches over the bar, Duffy hit the left hand post on the end of a great Aaron Dwyer cross, home keeper Ash Rawlins saved well to deny Halfacre and Dwyer, Duffy saw an effort cleared off the line and Halfacre headed against the post from Mike Fish’s corner. Meanwhile, at the other end Jonny Diba Musangu was a virtual spectator as the home side failed to ignite.
With the wind advantage one might have expected Market Drayton to offer more threat in the second half. However, it wasn’t so as Mossley again took a grip on the game , keeping the ball on the floor and playing some delightful football in truly difficult conditions.
Mossley’s frustrations at failing to find the net were finally waylaid on 67 minutes. Diba Musangu somehow got great distance on a clearance despite the wind and substitute Andy Keogh hooked home a fine volley from the edge of the box.
More Mossley pressure followed. Max Leonard, on as a substitute following his return from injury, raced through a gap but frustratingly slid his shot wide of the post when one on one with the keeper. Rawlins then made a fantastic save to deny Adam Jones’ powerful header.
As the game entered stoppage time and completely against the run of play, the home side fashioned an unlikely equaliser. Home substitute McFarlane forced Diba Musangu into his first save of the match and from the resulting corner Josh Bradburn somehow squeezed the ball between defender and post to break Mossley hearts turning what would have been a thoroughly deserved three points into one solitary point that didn’t reflect the Lilywhites total superiority.
Wiz
