The reserves went into this game against Fleetwood Town, with the home side fielding no fewer than 7 of their first team squad including Ashton born former Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa star Alan Wright who captained the side.

Mossley started brightly and played the ball around neatly, more than matching their more experienced opponents in retaining the ball although as the half wore on Mossley showed the home side a little too much respect, playing far to deep to cause the Fleetwood defence any serious problems baring 2 or 3 break aways. On the plus side the young Mossley team defended excellently, restricting Fleetwood to long range efforts and went in at the break with a clean sheet.

A groin injury to centre back Danny Higgins meant he was unable to come out for the second half with James Phythian coming on to make his debut.

During the interval Mossley were encouraged to be a little more adventurous and play their football higher up the pitch in the home teams territory. From the restart Sam Hare, Alex Byrne, Lee Constantine, Jordon Cuff and Mike Brickhill began to get forward and support Nathan Tosum and in doing so Mossley started to dominate proceedings and create chances. First on 55 minuets, Cuff breached the Fleetwood rear guard and found himself through one on one with keeper Danny Hurst but as Cuff rounded Hurst he lost his footing and was unable to roll the ball into the empty goal or lay it back to the supporting Tosum before Hurst smothered it.

On 59 minuets Constantine wasted a great chance to give Mossley the lead when faced with just Hurst to beat, but fired straight at the keeper.

Ben McNamara replaced Hare and Andy McKernon replaced Tom Clarke on the hour mark and McKernon soon found himself in the thick of the action, dispossessing John Miles in his own half before racing through on Hurst's goal only for Joe Camozzi to make a fine recovering tackle.

With Mike Jones, Cavell Coo, Tom Clarke and new boy Phythian looking solid at the back Fleetwood were running out of ideas with goalkeeper Nick Ashley virtually untroubled throughout the half. However, the young Mossley Reserves were floored with a sucker punch. Fleetwood won a corner on Mossley's right hand side, having dealt impressively with every set piece the home side had sent in thus far, one or two players switched off and Camozzi broke from the halfway line to get on the end of a short ball played in from the corner, taking a touch into the area before dispatching it past Ashley unchallenged.

Mossley took several minuets to recover their composure from the restart but to their credit they did and continued to take the game to Fleetwood creating yet another glorious chance, this time Cuff and Byrne combined down the home sides right flank, with Byrne having worked the space he sent over a great cross for Brickhill who had slipped his marker and was totally unmarked 6 yards out headed wide of the Fleetwood goal.

It was disappointing score line for the reserves who would have gone top of the table had they won. However, they take from the game great credit for the way they took the game to their vastly more experienced opposition.

Report by Rob Byrne