Report: Mossley (A)

The Pewits travelled across the foggy moors to play Mossley for the latest fixture in their best FA Cup run for over 20 years, as they battled through a scrappy game to earn a replay with a 1-1 draw.

Mossley are the third members of the Northern Premier League Division One North West to be drawn against Emley in the FA Cup this season, and they proved a tough outfit to break down, seeing the majority of possession for large swathes of the game before being sucker punched by a steely Emley at the death.

The first half of the game lacked in quality, as Mossley caused Emley’s back line plenty of issues without a goal to show for their efforts.

Only minutes after kick-off, Ruben Jerome was in the face of the Mossley left back, freed by an inch-perfect one-two with James Walshaw. His clipped cross was collected by Thompson in the Mossley goal, but Emley had fired an early warning shot to their higher league opposition.

Mossley responded with a quick transition into Emley’s half. Bailey Marsden was found in space before he unleashed a curling shot on target from 25 yards. Lambton parried the effort, and the ball was loose momentarily, but he recovered to collect and avert the danger.

Most of Emley’s forward play came through Walshaw and Jerome, who made good progress on the right flank on multiple occasions with the support of Sam Pashley, repeatedly marauding beyond them.

Hearts were in Mossley mouths when Walshaw almost got onto the end of a floated cross from that fruitful right wing, but the pressure from the ‘keeper was just enough to unbalance him, and the attempt was over the bar.

Once more, Pashley was found through a floated switch ball from the right side of the box, who did brilliantly to thump a header back across goal, where Jerome stood in waiting. It looked for all the world that Emley would go 1-0 up, but the Mossley centre back showed great determination to get a head to it first.

Undoubtedly, Emley’s best chance of the first half came after 40 minutes of play, as Alex Metcalfe intercepted a pass in midfield and bore down on goal with a man to either side of him. He chose to go alone, but Killock blocked for Mossley to keep the game goalless.

H/T Mossley 0-0 Emley

Both teams came out of the tunnel in fighting spirit for a second half that produced late drama.

Mossley were dominant for the first ten minutes of the second half, and were duly awarded with a goal through Jack Banister, who had been hard to contain on the left for The Lilywhites throughout the game. After some attractive team football from the home side, Banister took down a cross coolly, before blasting his shot into the roof of the net, leaving Lambton with no chance to save.

A goal down, Emley had no choice but to chase an equaliser to avoid an FA Cup exit. Hints of desperation could be seen in the performance and passing sequences were incomplete as neither side managed to keep hold of the ball particularly well.

Emley fans had something to get behind as a scramble in the box lead to a shot at goal for The Pewits, but Thompson got down well to his right to save.

Mossley returned the favour with a quick counter attack. Eden Bailey was freed down the right side before he drilled a low cross into a box full of Mossley shirts. Somehow, the cross evaded almost every white shirt before falling to Mulvey, who’s shot was well wide.

Iyrwah Gooden’s introduction to the game was noticeably felt for Emley, as he got into his groove not long after coming on. He twisted and danced past his marker to cut a ball back in Jerome’s direction, but Mossley did superbly to intercept.

The home side had a multitude of chances to kill the tie and were almost gifted a sure goal when Lambton rushed out to clear a through ball but did not manage to clear the sideline with his kick. The ball dropped for Banister, and with Lambton well off his line, he tried to find the Mossley centre-forward who would have had an open goal if not for Lambton’s fast reflexes, as he flung out a leg to concede a corner instead.

The closing portion of the match saw a change in momentum, as Emley began to throw all they could at Mossley, battling for an equaliser. Iyrwah Gooden drove Emley forward as he made things happen down the left, beating his man and getting a shot on target after the 85th minute mark.

The Pewits piled onto the Mossley defence in numbers, finding their way into the box and forcing a corner just before 90 minutes of normal time had been played. Initially the corner looked to come to nothing, but Emley recycled possession and found Gooden on the left, who jinked past a defender and chipped the ball across goal for Sam Pashley to smash home from a few yards out.

Emley’s last minute equaliser sent the travelling ultras into raptures, and The Pewits managed to stand firm for a couple of additional minutes to secure a replay in Emley on Tuesday.

F/T Mossley 1-1 Emley
EMLEY – Lambton, Pashley, Kelly, Metcalfe, Knowles (c), Cowgill, Haigh, Walshaw, Jerome, Walker; Subs used – Lawrence, Gooden, Curtis; Unused – Randall, Barks, Twigger
GOALS – Pashley (90’)
Moxon and co. Man of the Match – Jack Cowgill