Mossley made progress to thye 3rd round of the Manchester FA Youth Cup at Seel Park on Sunday but made extremely hard work of beating off the challenge of ten man Curzon Ashton.

Curzon were the better side in the first half, showing more commintment and desire than the home side who looked decidedly out of sorts. Without midfield kingpin Jake Hibbs, who broke a toe playing for the County team a day earlier, Mossley looked a pale shadow of the team that had played so well to beat FC United in their previous outing.

The hard working visitors having been unlucky not have been in front at the interval were hit early in the second half when goalkeeper Matthew Green was sent off after handling outside the box as he attempted to block home debutant Saul Henderson's flick.

Reduced to ten men and with an outfield player in goal the pendulum had now swung Mossley's way but the Lilywhites still struggled to make inroads. When they did threaten, Henderson missed a great chance when put clean through but the lanky striker fired wide when it looked easier to score.

Mossley finally broke the by now frustrating deadlock on 72 minutes when Curzon failed to clear a corner and the ball broke to Adam Bezzina who blasted a powerful angled volley into the top corner.

Curzon went close themselves a couple of times late in the game but Mossley held on to make progress as the Lilywhites look to retain a trophy that they won last season.

Report by Wizard

pics by Smiffy