Mossley enjoyed an emphatic win at Dark Lane tonight to climb back up to 2nd place in the table, and did the job in style with five superbly created and brilliantly taken goals! Rossendale tried to open the Mossley defence from the off but although their movement was good the final ball was often a hurried punt as Mossley pressured at pace and counter attacked with great fluidity. Leon Mike was the first to open the Stags defence but he attempted a pass when he might have shot and the chance was cleared. More half chances pinged around the Rossendale box before Mossley finally broke the deadlock on 29 minutes. Josh Howard's run and pass found Downey who's sqare ball was fired home in typical fashion by the awesome figure of Leon Mike. Five minutes later and the lead was doubled as Mike and Rhodri Giggs combined and the latter's cross was controlled well and slotted home by John Hore for his first goal in a Mossley shirt. It was just reward for the visitors dominance but Rossendale gave themselves a foot-hold a minute later when Paul Forsythe curled home a free kick after Steve Sheil had fouled ex Mossley forward Ian Barker.
Any hopes the home side had of staging a second half comeback were wiped out within five minutes of the restart as Mossley contrived two quick goals to seal victory. Leon Mike saw his lob from a formidable angle come back off the bar for Chris Downey who reacted quickest to the rebound to slot home from six yards. Mossley then scored undoubtedly the goal of the match. Matty Taylor brought the ball out of defence at speed, played the ball up to Mike who's pass to Downey was moved just as quickly to John Hore who hammered his shot off the underside of the bar, the assistant referee awarded the goal despite Rossendale's protests, as the ball appeared to bounce back from behind the line. Leon Mike added his second on 71 minutes with another piece of one touch magic created by Giggs and Downey. Mossley created several more openings but tended to overplay and the home side reduced the arrears in the 84th minute when a slip by Rezai was punished as Forsythe was given room to pick his spot for his second of the night, but it was nothing more than a consolation effort from a team who had been out-played and out-thought for the entire duration of the game.