MOSSLEY 1, TRAFFORD 1
Ryan Brooke ended his three-and-a-half month goal drought to help earn bottom-half Mossley a deserved draw at home to second-placed Trafford.
The former Oldham Athletic striker, a marquee summer signing, netted only his second goal of the season and the first since his strike at home to Runcorn Linnets in the second game of the season.
What a spectacular effort it was as Brooke bent a shot from 25 yards into the top corner, a goal worthy of winning any game.
It was the first on target in the opening 33 minutes from either side, though both had had near misses.
Shortly before half time Mossley would have made it 2-0 but for a superb save from Matthew Cooper to deny Ben Halfacre.
Trafford were more of a threat in the second half as a free kick from Lewis Walters almost crept in and Lewis Salmon struck an upright.
The equaliser came in the 69th minute when a shot from Walters hit a divot and bounced over diving goalkeeper Josh Ollerenshaw.
Manager Dave Wild explained why he dropped exciting wingers Brad Lynch and Jes Uchegbulam and switched to a more solid 4-3-1-2 from 4-4-2.
While they are “very good attacking players”, Wild wanted more solidity in a difficult period for the club as they have won only once in the last seven games.
“It was a deserved draw, a valuable and positive point and hopefully the start of our season,” explained Wild.
- The game had been an early morning doubt through a frozen pitch. And even an hour before kick off there was an issue with one spot as boiling water was poured on it.