Mossley penalty row

Local non-league football

MOSSLEY were furious with the penalty they conceded in last night’s 2-0 defeat at Halifax Town in UniBond League, division one north, writes Tony Bugby.

Manager Chris Willcock was mystified that the referee’s assistant, who was close to left-back Nick Challinor as he challenged Cavell Coo, did not flag for a foul while referee Steve Ledger, positioned well away, pointed to the spot.

“It was a crucial decision which went against us,” said Willcock. “Why have a linesman if the referee is not going to use him?

“They are there to assist him and he did not signal it was a penalty.”

And he added: “We controlled the second half and, with a little bit more composure and quality in the final third of the pitch, we would have got an equaliser and may be gone on and won the game.”

Jonny Smith scored with a 38th minute penalty which was all that separated the two teams at the break in front of a crowd of 1,124.

Mossley ’keeper Ashley Connor had earlier made two super saves to deny Junior Brown and former Bradford City player Scott Phelan, but Mossley also had a great chance when new-boy Matty Berkley pulled his shot wide after bursting clean through the home defence.

Connor pulled off another agile save early in the second half to deny Ashley Stott, but it was a rare forward foray as Mossley dominated.

Berkley, Chris Hirst and Mike Fish all had decent goal attempts while five minutes from time substitute Nick Cook saw a shot hit an upright.
Halifax rode their luck before sealing victory in the third minute of stoppage time when Brown scrambled home a free-kick from close range.


MOSSLEY have signed striker Matty Berkley from Leigh Genesis, a player Willcock has tried to capture on four separate occasions.

Berkley was a professional at Gretna, where he helped them win two promotions in the Scottish League and also played for Workington and Droylsden in Blue Square North before joining Genesis in the UniBond League, premier division.