Trophy test for Mossley

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL: BIG games are coming thick and fast for Mossley.

The Lilywhites, who bowed out of the UniBond League President’s Cup in midweek, head to Ilkeston Town tomorrow in the third qualifying round of the Carlsberg FA Trophy.

And despite suffering their first defeat since late September at FC Halifax Town — they lost 2-1 which ended a run of 14 games unbeaten — boss Chris Willcock remains in upbeat mood for the trip to the New Manor Ground.

“If we had lost 1-0 and hadn’t created anything, it would be a different story, but there were a lot of positives to take out of the game.” said Willcock.

“Steven Moore, who has been terrific for us this season, had four one-on-ones with the ’keeper and on another day he could have got himself a hat-trick.

“Ilkeston are favourites to go through, but this is a one-off game, so anything can happen.”

Cup-tied on Tuesday night, new signing Mike Fish is available to boost Mossley’s frontline options against a side mid-table in the Blue Square North.




TONY MILLS is hoping to have Leon Melia and James Tindall back in the Oldham Boro side on Saturday for the visit of Daisy Hill in division one of the Vodkat North-West Counties League .

The Whitebank Stadium boss has sounded out Melia, who can play in the centre of midfield or up front, and winger Tindall in a bid to increase the strength of his squad.

Both players have been unavailable in the past, but their circumstances have now changed, says Mills.

Boro are minus injury victims Alex Dibley, Stuart McGill, Ryan Baldwin, Chris Ward and Tim Buxton, but ’keeper Callum Hannigan is back on the substitutes’ bench after sickness ruled him out of the 4-0 defeat at Barnoldswick Town last weekend.




JUST stepping out on the pitch would be a welcome change for Chadderton in division one of the NWCL tomorrow.

Paul Buckley’s side haven’t played a competitive game since they were beaten 5-1 by Stone Dominoes on October 31.

But after a week of heavy rain, the chances of their game against Holker Old Boys going ahead — the hosts are based on the outskirts of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria — must be slight.