Mossley marched through to the next round of the North West Youth Alliance Open Cup with an entertaining 2-1 win over Warrington Town that needed extra time to separate the two teams.

Mossley started the brighter but were unable to make their early dominance tell. Kane Joyce and Justin Schall on both flanks were tormenting the home sides full backs with Adam Bezzina holding the ball up really well up front. On 26 mins Bezzina turned his marker on the edge of the box and fired in an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner to put Mossley 1-0 up.

Warrington did their best to disrupt the young Lilywhites passing game, conceding a number of free kicks as a result and on 34 mins one such challenge on Schall resulted in him leaving the field with ankle ligament damage.

As the half drew to a close, the home side became more of a threat going forward, continuingly thumping the ball forward long for big centre forward James Anderson to contest.

The second half started with Warrington on the front foot. Again the plan involved the long ball pumped up to Anderson. Although the Lilywhites continued to play their football the game became more of a battle and as a result Nat Martin and Callum Harkin found their way into the referee's book.

On 61 mins Harkin allowed Scott Bakkor to turn him on the touch line and in the proceeding chased Harkin tugged at Bakkor's sleeve in the box, leaving him in a heap on the ground, giving the referee no choice but to award the home side a penalty which was duly dispatch past Nick Howard by Anderson.

From the restart Mossley began to press again and on 73 mins a clever through ball from Martin put Bezzina clear on the edge of the box with only the keeper to beat but his resulting shot struck the home keepers knees.

The game went into extra time and it was Mossley who went ahead. On 98 mins Jordon Rutter raced down Mossley's right flank and sent a tremendous cross in that was finished in style by Martin.

Warrington now were desperately seeking the equaliser that would have sent the tie to penalties and fired long ball after long ball at the away teams defence. In the last few minutes Warrington keeper Vaughan came up for 2 corners the second of which was cut out at he near post and left Joyce racing from his own area and the Warrington team racing to get back to defend their empty goal in some what comical fashion, only for Joyce to run out of steam on the half way line.

The youth team have showed throughout the season that they are a talented group of players who can play attractive entertaining football. On Sunday they showed they can not only play football but are prepared to battle to grind out a result if necessary, a spirit epitomised by Mitch Wood and Ryan McNee who were immense at the hart of the Mossley defence.

Report by Rob Byrne