Lilywhites Land Win On Final Day

NPL West: Mossley 1-0 1874 Northwich

Mossley ended on a high as they brought the curtain down on the 2021/22 season with a well earned victory over 1874 Northwich in front of a 500 plus crowd at a windy Seel Park on Saturday.

The Mossley team showed one change from the side which had won at Glossop on Easter Monday, with Bailey Marsden replacing Kane Hickman who's arrival at the ground had been unavoidably delayed.

The game made a tentative start as both teams attempted to get to grips with the blustery conditions. It took ten minutes before the first meaningful action saw Louie Potts 20 yard shot saved by Aghayere.

Mossley appearaed in control of the game without creating any clear openings while the visitors were equally barren in front of goal as attacking play was regularly broken up in the final third. There were some excellent passing movements often instigated by Fawns and Keogh. 

The visitors threatened rarely and when they did they found the Mossley backline in determined form with Brad Kelly's goal having been barely troubled

Potts had a looping header saved by Aghayere around the half hour mark but Mossley's next real opening didn't arrive until five minutes before the break when Keogh and Potts combined to set up Jack Banister who cut inside before forcing Aghayere into a diving save to keep the score goalless at the break.

Mossley played with more intensity after the break to ramp up the pressure. A couple of great balls into the box by Joe Rothwell almost brought reward and the Lilywhites finally made the breakthrough in the 56th minute. Grundy's ball down the left touchline saw Banister outpace his marker before dinking a cross that Aghayere misjudged the flight of and Louie Potts delightedly headed home his first and hopefully not last Lilywhites goal.

1874 continued to pose little threat as Mossley dominated the game as Butterworth fired a great shot narrowly wide, Banister did likewise soon after. Keogh had a long range effort saved by Aghayere as the Lilywhites went in search of a second goal.

The visitors tried to liven up their attack when bringing on the tricky former Mossley forward Callum Gardner and he was busy for a few minutes before being shown a straight red card after flattening Joe Rothwell and the Lilywhites coasted through the closing minutes to secure the points and end the season for team and club in good shape and ready to take on the future.