Peter Band delivers fairytale end

Photo: PICTURE by VINCENT BROWN

COP THAT: winger Kayde Coppin is all smiles after equalising for Mossley in the first half.

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL:

MOSSLEY held high-flying Curzon Ashton to a 3-3 draw in the Evo-Stik League Division One North after Peter Band pounced in the sixth minute of injury time.

Former Lilywhite Kristian Dennis put hosts Curzon in front with 14 minutes on the clock, only for Kayde Coppin to level matters almost straight away.

Christopher McDonagh restored the league leaders’ advantage with a 53rd-minute penalty, after Matthew Purcell was felled by Band in the penalty area.

Midfield man Lee Rick equalised with five minutes left, but the drama was still to come.

When Mossley’s Ben McNamara was carried off with a badly sprained ankle, eight

minutes of added time were announced.

Curzon thought they had won the derby bragging rights in the first minute of added time when another ex-Mossley player, Michael Fish netted.

But Band ensured a highly respectable outcome for Gareth McClelland’s team with a last-gasp leveller.

McClelland said: “We were the better side so I am a little disappointed we did not come away with all three points.

“I suppose that is an indication of how far we have come — viewing a draw away to the leaders as a disappointment.

“The first half was a fairly tight affair, but I felt we improved after the break and should have gone on to win the game, but we missed a few chances.

“But it is good to have progressed. We lost our entire squad at the start of the season and were beaten 4-0 at home by Curzon — we were shocking that day.”

Next up for mid-table Mossley is a trip to fifth-placed Farsley on Saturday.

McClelland added: “It is going to be another tough game but hopefully we can build on this performance.”




CHADDERTON were beaten 5-1 at Abbey Hey in the Vodkat North-West Counties League Division One.



Sean Nolan put the visitors in front after 18 minutes but that was as good as it got for Paul Buckley’s side, and Wesley Harney equalised soon afterwards.

Second half strikes from Liam Murray (54), Sam Jones (59, 71) and Stephen Yarwood (89) compounded Chadderton’s misery.




OLDHAM Boro's NWCL Division One game at Nelson was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.