Mossley aim to pass the acid test

Non-league football: MOSSLEY will go into tomorrow’s crunch Evo-Stik League Division One North clash against Northwich Victoria on the back of their best performance of the season.

The Lilywhites continue to push hard to break into the promotion play-off places, helped on Tuesday by a 1-0 home win against fourth-placed Glossop North End.

The test of credentials will be even sterner at Seel Park when second-placed Vics roll into town, but the hosts will go into the game brimming with confidence.

Mossley joint-boss Peter Band said: “The 90 minutes against Glossop were probably the best we’ve played since we beat Curzon Ashton in the Manchester Premier Cup final last April.

“We played some great stuff - and the morning after I got a nice text message from Glossop player Dave Young, who said we had a really good team.

“Confidence is high at the moment, much the same as it was when we went on a great run this time last year.”

Mossley can reach the top five with a win tomorrow, but Northwich will be far from easy opponents.

They have maintained good momentum under Adam Lakeland, who took over as manager when Jim Gannon returned to Stockport last month.

“Northwich are big, strong and well-organised with Andy Watson at the back,” added Band. “But if we can beat them, we’ll push ourselves right into contention.

“A win would also send out a message to our potential rivals as we head towards the latter part of the season.”


CHADDERTON put their North-West Counties League inconsistencies behind them for a day tomorrow when they travel to division leaders Hanley Town in the quarter-finals of the Reusch First Division Cup.