CHADDERTON 4, MOSSLEY 2
Don’t write too much into Mossley’s pre-season defeat at Chadderton, a team two divisions beneath them in the football pyramid.
Possibly only two or three of the side likely to kick off the season started this match, so it wasn’t quite the upset it appeared.
Regulars Dale Latham, Shane Killock, Joe Rothwell, Nicky Clee, Andy Keogh and Mason Fawns were either away on holiday or given a night off.
And players like Jordan Butterworth, Freddie Sass and Will Shepherd, also likely starters, were on the bench.
Had those players appeared, it would have been a different Mossley whose side comprised squad players and trialists.
And the defeat confirmed what manager David Fish had been thinking – most of them were not up to Northern Premier League standard.
“We played strong sides in the friendlies against Irlam and Liversedge in the last week. This was a chance to give others a chance,” he said.
“It is alright watching players in training, but you need to see them in match action.”
Fish added of the starting line-up, Kane Hickman, Jack Grundy and Louie Potts were the three likely starters when the new season kicked off.
Mossley made a horrendous start and were 2-0 down inside 11 minutes and three behind by the 18th.
There was nothing the Lilywhites could do about the opener, a screamer by left-back Rob Flynn into the top corner in the fifth minute.
A deflected cross from Harry Dean, twin brother of former Mossley player Kain, looped to the far post for Adam Dale to head home the second.
A weak back pass from centre back Will Hartshorne, who had just come on for the injured Josh Dickin, was intercepted by Dean who rounded trialist goalkeeper Josh Pelling to slot home.
Mauro Mendes cut in from the left and his swerving shot struck the Mossley crossbar as it was proving a nightmare night.
And it got worse shortly before half time when Pelling, who arrived feeling unwell, had to go off. With regular Latham on holiday, it was left to goalkeeping coach Jimmy Longdin to take the gloves.
Mossley made six changes at the break and were far more competitive in the second period.
Within one minute, substitute striker Oumar Camara, a former Chadderton player, forced a decent save from goalkeeper Suliman Sajjad who had come on at the restart.
But it was Chadderton who struck again just short of the hour when Dale scored his second of the game, a looping header over Longdin from Oli Lomas’ cross.
Camara headed against the bar before Mossley finally got on to the scoresheet in the 61st minute when Bailey Marsden’s effort was blocked and Potts slotted home the rebound.
Marsden then struck the Chadderton upright before Mossley scored a second in the last minute.
Potts and Camara linked well to set up trialist Jackson Maguire, a former Stalybridge Celtic U18 player, and the right back found the net with a spectacular finish into the top corner.