Mossley 1-3 Clitheroe 06/10/20

Kielen Adams’ first goal for the club helped set up a second successive away win as the unbeaten Blues claimed an early lead at the top of the NPL North-West table. Danny Wilkins added to Adams’ quick-fire strike before Kieran Feeney came off the bench to claim a classy third as David Lynch’s men continued their impressive run. A late counter from Mossley substitute Danny McLaughlin denied the Blues a clean sheet.

But a third win in four games was enough to lift Clitheroe to spot on goal difference as they got their reward for a dominant performance in Greater Manchester. Lynch made two changes and a tactical switch to his starting line-up with a move to a back three which included a first start for summer signing Chris Smalley. And the changes gave the Blues a solid platform they exploited from the off to take an early lead.

Adams has had to wait for his first goal for the club but needed just three minutes at Seel Park to open his account. The striker, who last season played just up the road at Oldham Athletic, saw his initial effort blocked but worked the ball back onto his left foot and steered a low shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out to put the Blues ahead. Craig Hobson then saw a volley blocked as he looked to mark an impressive return to the starting line-up with a goal. But the Blues’ superiority paid off with a second goal 24 minutes in as they gained further control.

Hobson’s cross should have been cut out by Sam Kilner but after the Mossley right-back missed his kick, Wilkins pounced with a first-time effort which flew into the net from the edge of the box. Ross Dent - again a driving force alongside the tireless Gary Stopforth in midfield - then burst into the box but couldn’t direct his effort goalwards and Hobson’s deflected effort looped just over the bar before Mossley, who had won two of their three opening home games, began to offer a response.
The Blues’ vastly experienced back line was rarely stretched, though, and the Blues continued to press after the break in search of a third goal to remove all doubt. Hobson, Adams and Wilkins all had a go after Hobson had chested down a Cole Lonsdale free-kick without managing to get in a clean strike in a crowded penalty area. A rare sight of goal for the home side for Ryan Shenton was a reminder the work wasn’t quite done as he shot at Chris Thompson.

But with just over 10 minutes to go the Blues guaranteed all three points with a top-quality third goal. Danny Pilkington again showed his class in a cameo from the bench and he was involved with a ball into Lonsdale which the wing-back flicked into the path of Feeney.
The substitute took a touch to get the ball out of his feet and then curled a low shot beyond Liam Lovell and into the bottom corner – giving the Blues the breathing space to survive a late strike from McLaughlin which did little to take the gloss off an excellent night’s work.

Mossley: Lovell, Kilner, Mason, Hickman, Grundy, Evans, Kershaw, Butterworth (Keogh HT), Fitzgerald, Shenton (McLaughlin 72), Waller (Mulvey 64). Substitutes: O’Hara, Pratt.

Clitheroe: Thompson; Smalley, Mutton, Priestley; Foulds, Dent, Stopworth, Lonsdale (Meico 83); Wilkins (Pilkington 79); Hobson (Feeney 70), Adams. Substitutes: Cummings, Gaul.

Attendance: 361