The Colls fell to a deserved 2-0 defeat to Mossley on a cold, wet and windy afternoon in Tameside.
Storm Darragh gave the majority of the British Isles the heebie-jeebies but not those hardy folk from Mossley FC who were totally vindicated in actively seeking to get the game played. At 4.55pm everybody left Seel Park very satisfied indeed, well apart from those of a Collieries persuasion.
Colls played with the pronounced wind advantage on the first half. They looked comfortable on the ball and had, as expected, total territorial advantage but didn’t really test the Mossley goal and the hosts would have thought they had dodged a bullet as they traipsed to the warm dressing rooms still on parity. A Joe Edwards strike on the stroke of half time which smashed into the side netting was the only sortie of real note.
The weather had even got a little worse after the interval with heavy rain added to the swirling mix but Michael Clegg’s team started well with an effervescent Edwards pulling the strings in midfield.
Against the rain of play, the Lilywhites opened the scoring on fifty-five minutes in uber controversial circumstances. Obua Magalula finished cooly, but questions were justifiably raised about the decision to allow play to continue as a Collieries defender lay completely out of action due to a clash of heads early in the build-up.
After a lengthy spell of treatment from both medical teams, Alex Doyle thankfully left the field under his own steam to the relief of all on Seel Park.
Colls never recovered from the perceived injustice and despite using all five replacements, the Tameside outfit doubled their lead with fifteen minutes left on the clock, Guilherme Balthazar applied the finishing touch.
Sol Honor had to be on high alert on another couple of occasions to keep the deficit as it was. Anymore would have been harsh on an admittedly now beaten visitors.
A feral day up in those usually picturesque Pennines Hills. Again, credit to Mossley on gambling that proceedings would go the distance. Pure and simply they played the conditions smarter!
After two away defeats on the spin, Colls must dust themselves down for next Saturday’s game at the Dreams2Reality Stadium. Pre-season title tips Hednesford Town make their first ever Alder Street appearance in what should be a tasty Yuletide potboiler, kick off 3pm.
Photo used with thanks to Franny Rafferty
