Colne Reserves secured a good win at the XLCR Stadium on Thursday evening with a solid performance against Mossley.

In a typical high speed game, both sides pushed forward in the opening stages. The Reds lived dangerously when James Kenyon fisted a high cross against his crossbar before Steve Pickup headed the ball to safety off the goal-line.

But the Colne midfield soon created some good attacking moves and, when Chris Walker won a free kick just outside the visitors’ penalty area, Sam Reeves low shot round the defensive wall was turned round the post by the keeper.

Colne made the breakthrough after 34 minutes when Reeves’ throw in was laid back by Baron for Ben Bridson to find the net with a powerfully driven 25 yard shot. Colne piled on the pressure and Mossley keeper Jack Darnbrough did well to claim Reeves’ high cross at the far post under pressure before getting down to save another well struck low shot from Bridson.

A quickly taken free kick created a promising opening for Chris Baron but he was tackled as he met the low cross, blocking his shot. On the stroke of half time, Bridson’s diagonal free kick was knocked home at the far post by Walker, but what looked a good goal was ruled out by an offside flag.

Sean Thompson replaced the injured Baron at half time and within two minutes of the restart, doubled Colne’s lead when he reacted quickly to a low cross and beat the keeper with a shot into the roof of the net. Two minutes later, an awkwardly bouncing ball on the edge of the area had the Mossley defenders hesitating and Thompson lobbed the ball over the keeper to give Colne a three goal lead.

Colne pushed forward looking for further goals and Ryan Brereton was desperately unlucky on 77 minutes when his shot came back off the underside of the crossbar before being cleared.

Mossley rallied in the closing stages and tested the home defence. On 84 minutes, Ross Hilldesley forced Kenyon into a good save as he turned his shot around the post. But, from the resulting corner, Josh Burke fired home a low shot at the far post in a crowd of players to reduce the deficit. And Nathan Taylor almost got a second goal for Mossley when he hooked a diagonal ball just over the crossbar in the closing minutes.

Report www.pitchero.com/clubs/colnefootballclub