This was always going to be the tougher test of the two fixtures, against a fresh big strong physical Motherwell side who finished runners up in the Scottish Premier Youth League last season behind Celtic and above Rangers, and so it proved.

Playing their second game in two days, Mossley started the brighter of the two teams and got their passing game going from the start. Connor Hampson and Alex Byrne continued where they had left off the previous day - dominating the centre of the park with some smart interplay with Antony Dorney and Joe Heap, who was playing in a more advanced position. Tom Clarke and Kyle McDonagh were providing plenty of width and along with full backs Ben Fletcher and Andy McKernon who were getting forward at every oppertunity, Motherwell found themselves stretched from the start.

Again, as with the previous day's game, Mossley took an early lead through Alex Byrne who latched onto a Tom Clarke cross from the left to ease the ball passed the Motherwell goalkeeper.

Mossley continued to boss the match in the early stages, matching Motherwell's physical approach and denying supply to the two big home sides forwards.

The home side were lucky not to go down to ten men on 35 mins when one of the two Motherwell strikers caught Ben Fletcher very late and high on his left knee, leaving a nasty trail of stud marks, the referee deciding a stern talking to was the appropriate course of action.

Mossley continued to create chances with Antony Dorney, Hampson and Byrne all coming close. Motherwell's only real chance of the half coming on 38 mins when they smashed a 25 yard free kick off the cross bar.

During the half time interval the efforts of the last two days were beginning to take their toll, with several players complaining of niggling injuries and with Motherwell making several changes notably switching their two strikers with two equally strong ones Mossley knew that only a big effort digging deep into their resolve would see us get anything from the game.

As expected Motherwell began to cause their visitors problems from the start, bringing their strikers into play when ever possible. The Mossley back four were equal to the task with the very impressive Mike Jones making an outstanding last ditch tackle in the 18 yard box, relieving the ball from the man in text book fashion.

On 50 mins Dorney had to be replaced with Shaun Chapman after suffering a groin strain and Heap went down with an ankle injury.

Although Motherwell continued to mount pressure on the Mossley back four, they stood firm and limited the chances on Nick Howard's goal, whilst refusing to surrender their passing game and began to carve out a few chances themselves through Heap and Chapman.

When it seemed like Motherwell had run out of ideas they equalised with 13 minutes remaining. Mossley failed to clear their lines from a corner and when the ball came back into the box it was looped over Howard's head to a big roar from the home supporters.

From the restart it was Mossley who went looking for a winner and Hampson was unlucky with a superb 25 yard effort tipped over the bar by the Motherwell keeper.

With seven minutes left Ben Fletcher tried lobbing the keeper from 25 yards with the home keeper doing very well to get back to his goal and again tip the ball over the bar.

Mossley were now dominating and in injury time Tom Clarke nearly won the game for Mossley from a corner but only managed to put the ball over the bar on the goal line at the far post when totally unmarked.

Over the course of the two days the youth team have been a credit to Mossley AFC not only in the manner they have conducted themselves on the pitch but also off it.

If they continue to show the progress they have shown in pre season, it won't be long before you are reading about them in the first team.

report by Rob Byrne