Mossley 2-1 Clitheroe 11-01-2020

Second successive defeat

Clitheroe let slip another lead and finally succumbed to a physical Mossley side as the conditions progressively worsened, to make it two defeats in five days.

The Blues made their intentions clear from the outset that they were looking for three points, as they selected a very attacking line up. However, with a powerful wind and heavy pitch destroying any semblance of passing to feet, both teams were restricted to hopeful long balls. In a half virtually devoid of chances for both sides, Connor Gaul went closest in the third minute after being released by Terry Cummings, but his final shot flashed across the face of the goal, without forcing the keeper to make a save. It was then not until the final minute of the half that the Blues’ fans had something to cheer as a Connor Gaul corner was headed home at pace by Craig Stanley.

The second half saw the wind go up a notch and driving rain added to the mix. Equally, it saw a rejuvenated Mossley side kicking down the hill into the wind, but with the clear instruction to hurl themselves at every tackle and half chance as if their lives depended on it. On 47 minutes, Chris Thompson was called upon to make a good save with his legs after a high bouncing ball freed a striker for a snap shot. On 52 minutes the departing Owen Watkinson and Mitchell George combined well, but George’s curling shot lacked any bite to trouble the keeper. On 62 minutes Thompson tipped a shot from distance round the post and the Mossley pressure went up again with their Route 1 football. On 70 minutes the pressure told as a burst down the left saw a cross drilled across the turf to a striker who hit it first time, leaving Thompson no chance as it fizzed through a forest of bodies. For a period, the Blues steadied the ship and started to exert pressure of their own, but on 82 minutes after a Clitheroe attack broke down leaving the home team with a throw in on their own bye line, two scything passes suddenly saw substitute Uchegbulam sprint beyond the defence before he lobbed the ball over the advancing Thompson to snatch the winner.

The weather took another turn for the worse before the whistle went, but one suspects that was nothing to the dark clouds in the away changing room as the visitors analysed another second half no show.

Team : Chris Thompson, Danny Gray, Jacob Gregory (Oliver Muir), Craig Stanley, Markell Foulds, Charlie Russell (c), Mitch George (Oscar O'Neil), Terry Cummins, Ollie Wood (Jake Connelly), Owen Watkinson, Conor Gaul. Subs - Oscar O'Neil, Jake Connelly, Oliver Muir. Not used - n/a.