Mossley 4 - 2 AFC Fylde

I know that is going to seem like I'm being unnecessarily grumpy but despite the large number of goals scored this wasn't a particularly good game.

The ball might have found the back of the net six times but little happened between each of those occasions other than the odd rain shower and the slow, inexorable passing of time.

Not that any of these moans and petty complaints will bother anyone from Mossley much though as in scoring the majority of those six goals they arrested a run of two consecutive defeats with a victory and did so having had to twice come from behind.

Following a ponderous start the game briefly burst into a modicum of life in the 12th minute when Fylde centre half Danny Monkton took full advantage of being left unmarked during a corner kick to head his side in front. The match then returned to being a languid affair until it was Mossley's turn to fleetingly break the tedium midway through the half when Michael Fish put home side back on level terms with a neat near post header from a Steve Settle cross. To 'borrow' a tweet from another Mossley supporter, it had to be Fish on Good Friday. And, of course, a cross too.

As far as noteworthy moments go that was it for the opening period and the prospects for a better second half didn't look good as both teams continued to toil away to little effect immediately after the interval.

Finally though the match developed a pulse – albeit a faint and erratic one – around the hour mark and did so in bizarre circumstances. A rush of blood saw Settle split his own defence wide open with a pass that put Fylde's Michael Barnes clean through on goal and despite having to carry the ball some distance, the visiting number nine kept his nerve to calmly put the ball past the advancing Peter Collinge and his team back in front.

If he'd applied the same assuredness in finishing not soon after it's almost certain he'd have given his side the three points. Instead of doubling his sides advantage though Barnes sent an easier chance bobbling past the upright. It proved to be a costly miss too as less than a minute later their lead was cancelled out for the second time in the match. Chris McDonagh powered through two challenges on a run into the penalty area and after playing a short pass out wide to Settle, the ball was hit low across the face of the six yard box and and tapped home by Matty Kay.

Another five minutes then elapsed before Settle got the opportunity to atone for his error which had given Fylde the lead for the second time when Mossley were awarded, somewhat fortuitously, a free-kick just outside the visitors penalty area. Actually erroneously would probably be a better description given that the only offence that took place, a handball, was committed by a player in a white shirt.

Incorrect decision or not, Settle stepped up and arced a shot around the wall and towards the top corner of the goal which substitute keeper Dave Stevenson did astonishingly well to get a hand on. He only succeeded however in pushing the powerfully struck effort onto the inside of the post, from where it bounced across the line to put Mossley ahead for the first time.

It was a lead that never looked like being lost either as the home side soaked up the pressure being put on them by Fylde with little discomfort. In fact for all the possession the visitors enjoyed in the closing stages of the match, it was Mossley who always looked the side more likely to score next through the pace of their breakaway attacks and that's just what they did with three minutes remaining. Settle cut in from the right wing and hit a shot which took a deflection off a defender and then Matty Kay (who'd began the move three-quarters of the way back up the pitch) to take it past Stevenson and seal the win.

There's no question that Fylde can feel aggrieved to come away from the match empty handed but that's football - sometimes you don't get what you deserve and even the most blinkered Mossley supporter must admit that they at least deserved a point.

Then again, its happened to us so often that it's not funny any more so it's nice to experience the situation from the other side for once and wallow in that warm, comfy and smug feeling it brings.

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