Derby day delight for Stalybridge Celtic

Stalybridge Celtic secured a 2-1 victory over Mossley in the Boxing Day battle at Bower Fold.

The bumper crowd of 2,015 were treated to a day full of drama and controversy, in which visitors Mossley finished the match with nine men.

With local bragging rights at stake, the match was always going to be a feisty affair, and this proved to be the case.

Four minutes into proceedings, visitors Mossley were reduced to ten after former Celt Michael Brewster was shown a red card for a late challenge on Brandon Newell.

Despite being a man light, it was the away side who had the better of the chances in the first period.

The pick of the bunch fell to former Celtic winger Obua Mugalula, whose delicate lob looped over goalkeeper Charlie Monks but landed just wide of the left-hand post.

After a goalless first half, the deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute when Celtic captain Liam Tongue popped up with yet another long-range strike, firing the ball into the bottom left corner to give his side the lead.

Mossley then responded in the 65th minute when Mugalula made up for his earlier miss, levelling the score at 1-1 with a driven effort which squirmed through the grasp of Charlie Monks.

The home side then regained control after the equaliser, and the decisive moment came in the 74th minute when Lewis Rawsthorn tapped home Jordan Butterworth's cross at the back post to restore Celtic's lead.

Things then went from bad to worse for Mossley, who were reduced to nine men moments later after goalkeeper Fin Madigan was shown a red card for a challenge on the edge of the area.

Celtic hearts were in mouths in the final minute of injury time when the ball fell to Mugalula in the Celtic penalty area, but the forward could only direct his effort wide of the post, with the hosts holding on to take all three points.

"You've got to win football matches when you're not at your best," Celtic manager Jon Macken told the Reporter following the win.

"Mossley made it really difficult for us even after they went down to ten men with their work rate and desire- credit to them.

"But I've got to also give the lads credit, you can't have great performances week in week out, you've got to win ugly sometimes and that's what we did today."

"It was a silly tackle, but for me, it was a yellow card," said Mossley boss David Fish on the challenge that led to Michael Brewster's dismissal.

"It was always going to be an uphill struggle for us after that but I thought we reacted well.

"We worked hard, got balls into good areas and defended resolutely- we showed great character and we have to use that as a springboard going into the final 20 games."

Up next for Stalybridge Celtic is a trip to Trafford on New Year's Day, while Mossley take on Avro at Seel Park.