The initial game, Mossley’s first away fixture for the 02/03 season, was an immensely dull affair with what few shots there were on target coming solely from the home team. It remains only notable to the Seel Park faithful for the fact that it contained Neil Tolson’s solitary appearance in a Lilywhite’s shirt before he skedaddled elsewhere.
The return fixture a couple of months later couldn’t have been more different. After trailing 2-0 with a quarter of an hour to play, Mossley suddenly turned up and a barnstorming finish saw them win the game 3-2 in the last minute; Anthony Callaghan’s long distance skimmer taking a slight deflection as it made its way into the Park End goal that practically the entire Mossley contingent was packed behind.
And as exciting as that game was it couldn’t hold a candle to the next meeting between the two sides: a fifth round FA Vase tie at Seel Park. Whilst the game couldn’t surpass the now legendary events at Lymington & New Milton in the previous round, Mossley’s eventual 2-1 victory over Cables still remains one of the most memorable games seen at Seel Park this century (or six and bit years).
Tony Coyne gave Mossley a first half lead with a thunderous volley and the game (which can officially be labelled as not one for the faint hearted) ebbed and flowed until Baker equalised with fifteen to go. Things then took a turn for the worse when Anthony Callaghan received a second yellow card but with five minutes left Ciaran Kilheeney stabbed the ball in from close range, sending the massed rank of Lilywhite fans now congregated behind the goal what the Oxford Football Dictionay describes as ‘absolutely bananas’.
What remains to be seen is if the resuming on-field hostilities will see the return of some internet visitors of yore, in particular Tigerman. Who can’t but remember fondly his postings old Mossleymania message board such as how they were hiring a train and five coaches to bring their supporters to that Vase game and other ‘hilarious’ thoughts, some of which even had other Prescot fans attempting to disown him?
Prescot was once home to Emma Hamilton, Admiral Lord Nelson’s ‘bit on the side’ – a term ideally suited to someone ‘accompanying’ old Horatio given his propensity for shedding at least 50% of his major body parts. Shunned by society after Nelson discovered that he wasn’t quick enough to dodge French snipers, the former brothel worker ended up in a debtors prison. Upon release she moved to France, became an alcoholic and died destitute.
Prostitution, prison, alcoholism, poverty… a lesser man than me might make some comment like “she could have stayed in Prescot for that” but it would be in poor taste and I’m above that.
For those of you that have never seen fit to turn off the M62 at junction 7 and take in a football game before, Valerie Park where Cables play used to be shared with the Prescot Panthers Rugby League side. Interestingly the recent song 'Valerie' by the Zuton's was in no way inspired by this.
Dominating one side of the ground is the clubhouse/changing room/tea bar/terracing/all-seater stand and its here where those who make up the older end of the Prescot age range are housed. You may not see them but you will hear them as it’s not uncommon for them to use their elevated position to vent their spleens at all and sundry beneath them like a collection of Waldorf and Statler’s. However offence is rarely ever taken because nobody can ever make out a word of what they’re saying.
We actually have a pretty decent playing record against Cables, losing only three of the sixteen league meetings we had with them in the North West Counties and winning seven. Still, all of the above is in the past and it’s the future we must look to. It may not be bright but following the draw at home to Hednesford at the weekend we do at least know that the bulb is still working.
Currently Ashton United are the meat in a Prescot-Mossley sandwich, seperating the two sides in 17th position. There's only a one point difference between the two sides but Prescot have played a game less than us. That said, form wise Prescot are currently on a run that's slightly worse than ours having only managed one win and two draws in their previous eight games (we've had two wins and one draw) so a victory for either side would be like an adrenalin shot to the heart.
Prediction: Three games without a victory means that we are at least due one soon, so on that flimsy reasoning alone I’ll say that we’ll win.
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