Mossley progress in FA Trophy

FA Trophy preliminary round: Cleethorpes Town 2-4 Mossley

Mossley gave a determined, disciplined performance to win through to the next round of the Buildbase FA Trophy with a hard earned and well deserved 4-2 victory at Cleethorpes Town on Saturday with Bradford City loanee Eliot Goldthorp scoring an unusual hat-trick.

Mossley got off to a great start when taking the lead as early as the third minute. The Lilywhites were awarded a free kick 20 yards out and slightly left from the home goal up stepped young ‘Bantam’  Goldthorp to whip a right foot effort over the wall and give home keeper Richardson no chance and the ball flew into the top left corner.

Cleethorpes, clearly a more than useful side with seven wins in their previous seven home games, were soon level however, when Oglesby’s 13th minute cross to the far post was headed back across goal by Scott Vernon for Lewis Collins to acrobatically fire home from 10 yards.

The game swung from end to end as both sides probed for an opening and it was Mossley who found one on 33 minutes when Jes Uchegbulam’s run and cross from the right was bundled over the line from close range at the far post by Goldthorp.

Mossley were resolute in denying Cleethorpes space to create chances. Simon Lenighan and the newly re-signed Kieran Nolan excelled as Cleethorpes probed and switched play to find space in behind the solid Evans and Mason and on the couple of occasions the home side did find a way through Theo Roberts was a safe last line.

On 74 minutes the Lilywhites stretched the lead and it was that young man Goldthorp who took the match ball as he whipped another superb free kick over the wall and into the top corner, remarkably this time with his left foot.

Cleethorpes were given the chance to reduce the arrears when they were awarded a somewhat dubious penalty for hand ball but Vernon’s awful spot kick flew high over and above the Mossley bar.

The home side were made to pay for the miss when Mossley stretched the lead five minutes later. Goldthorp’s right wing corner was brilliantly helped goalwards by Ben Richardson and turned into the net from close range by Declan Evans.

In stoppage time Cleethorpes were awarded another penalty, this time for a high foot, but substitute Tom Batty scored from the spot for a late consolation but it’s Mossley who deservedly go through to the next stage and £2,250 better off thanks to the Buildbase sponsorship of the FA Trophy.

By Mossley Web