"It was like two different games on one night, a real game of two halves", was a more than apt quote from one Mossley fan at last night's reserve match against Formby at Seel Park.

A first half of 'score at will' vibrant attacking football was followed by a lacklustre second period that saw the 'never say die' visitors from Merseysiders claw their way back into a game in which they had looked at one stage like conceding double figures.

With Osebi Abadaki and Raducio King playing the wide midfield roles and Formby attempting an only occasionally successful high line offside trap, it was a recipe for both players to enjoy and in a pulsating first half they certainly did that.

It did however take a shock goal by the Squirrels to shake Mossley out of their early slumber when Joseph Davies prodded home in the 13th minute. However it took Mossley just over a minute to reverse their fortunes.

Firstly Nathan Tosum, a second year pro just released by Bury, broke through straight from the restart to equalise and then a great run and low cross by Sam Hare saw Raducio King crash home from close range to put Mossley 2-1 up.

Abadaki scored Mossley's third in the 22nd minute with a superb high speed mazy dribble that saw him conjure a goal out of nothing .

King made the score 3-1 in the 31st minute when he crashed home a 25 yard free kick low into the bottom corner and Abadaki made it five soon after with a fiery finish to put the game seemingly well beyond the visitors grasp.

Mossley made their first change shortly after the break with Wayne Gordon replacing Connor Hampson and Alex Byrne moving up to midfield to accommodate defender Gordon. However the Mossley sub made an incongruous start when his stumble on the ball allowed Patrick Dixon to score Formby's second.

The ever dangerous Abadaki was replaced by ex Macclesfield reserve Matt Nee in the 53rd minute and the Formby defence breathed a collective sigh of relief to see the back of Mossley's exciting Nigerian.

Formby were suddenly galvanised and their 'cup final' approach to the game paid dividends when Mossley keeper McIlwaine parried a powerful shot into the path of Dixon who made the score 5-3 from the rebound.

Then, with ten minutes remaining James Gool fired home a shock fourth for the visitors and Mossley were left trying to keep possession of the ball through a painstaking final few minutes. Fortunately they managed to do that because it would have been football suicide in the extreme had they thrown away such a commanding situation.

Report by Wizard