The Hillmen gained comprehensive revenge for a defeat at Seel Park with an excellent victory against their local rivals, which featured a hat-trick from top scorer Jamie Rainford.
Playing with the wind, Mossley had applied the early pressure with a number of free kicks into the Glossop North End box, that had to be well defended, but then Glossop struck in the 8th minute, with their first real attack of the game.
A high ball looped into the box and was caught in the swirl, and Lilywhites keeper was caught in two minds. Instead of pushing the ball behind for a corner he decided to punch, but the ball floated to around the penalty spot where Rainford was waiting. He didn’t need a second invitation as he lashed the ball home on the volley.
Rocked, Mossley upped their efforts, again trying but failing to break down a stout Glossop defence. Liam Baker slid desperately at the far post trying to touch a wicked cross along the 6 yard line and Tom Pratt shot wide from the edge of the area, but again Glossop North End broke their hearts with a second goal on 30 minutes.
The ball was played into the box by Martyn Andrews and Kelvin Lugsden tried to roll his man on the turn in the box, only to be fall under the defender’s challenge. The referee gave a penalty and Dave Young stepped up to bang it into the net.
Kelvin Lugsden’s fine block tackle prevented Pratt from getting a clear shot on goal a minute later, but it was his twin brother in the wars a few minutes later, and the result was that the job got even harder for the visitors. Lugsden was caught high by Kyle McGonigle and, after a period of treatment for both players, McGonigle was dismissed.
As Mossley tried to re-organise, Ben Richardson should have put the game beyond doubt, but the keeper was off his line to save after he was put through by Rainford. Then Rainford himself missed a good chance, shooting high and wide when in on the angle. However, on the stroke of half time Mossley were back in it. A high ball into the box again got caught in the wind, and this time Andy Robertson found it hard to follow the path of the ball. He could only push it away from his net, but pushed it onto his own defender Sam Barnes, and the ball rebounded into the net.
In the second half the teams exchanged early chances, the legs of Liam Flynn denying Jamie Rainford this time, and Michael Thomas heading into the side netting from a deep cross. Mossley were applying some pressure though, and Dougie Carroll nearly scored from his first touch, only for his poked shot from short range to hit the bar and bounce away.
The game was sealed for Glossop North End on 78 minutes, and it was one of the scruffiest finished you might ever see! Astley Mulholland was put through one on one, but when it came to finish completely missed his kick. He managed to recover to pass sideways to Rainford who only had defenders to beat with Flynn attending to Mulholland. Rainford controlled, but also missed his kick, only to watch it evade all the defence and dribble into the net.
6 minutes later it was 4-1. Mark Reed was put through on goal this time, but as he was rounding Flynn the keeper brought him down. Flynn was shown a yellow card, and Rainford completed his hat trick by netting the spot kick.
The 5th goal arrived in the final minute. Eddie Moran tried to flick on on half way, but missed the ball. However, that meant Rainford, who the defence had pushed up to play offside from the flick, was onside in acres of space. He was in a race to the ball with Flynn and got there first. He lobbed the ball over the keeper, but whilst the ball for destined to go wide, Flynn took Rainford out after the ball had gone. It was another penalty, and Flynn was shown a second yellow card – Mossley were down to 9. Michael Fish went in nets, but could not stop Reed’s penalty. It was the icing on the cake for Hillmen fans.
