Blow for Lilywhites’ play-off hopes

NON-LEAGUE FOOTBALL:

MOSSLEY'S Evo-Stik League Division One play-off hopes took a potentially fatal blow when they were crushed 4-0 at home by rivals Ramsbottom - and saw both Chris Denham and Sam Madeley sent off.

Lilywhites dropped into fifth place – the final play-off spot – but almost all the teams around them have games in hand.

Mossley have two matches left, at home and away against struggling Harrogate Railway Athletic.

Player-boss Steve Halford said: "We badly let ourselves down. Our destiny is out of our hands now so we'll just have to hope a few results elsewhere go our way."

Tomorrow night Cammell Laird host champions Skelmersdale, while Trafford go to Ossett Town.

Second-placed New Mills go to Radcliffe Borough and Ramsbottom – now in third place – travel to Prescot Cables.

Mossley's disastrous day began when Lee Gaskell scored twice in the first 15 minutes.

Mossley's cause was hindered before the break when Denham was shown a second yellow card and sent off.

Ten minutes after the restart Grant Spencer smashed home Ramsbottom's third, and Spencer repeated his trick to make it 4-0. A miserable day at Seel Park was sealed with 17 minutes left when 20-goal top scorer Madeley was shown the red card for retaliation after being fouled by Rams skipper Andrew Dawson.



THERE were draws for both CHADDERTON and OLDHAM BORO in the Vodkat North-West Counties League First Division. Chadderton drew 1-1 at fellow mid-table side Nelson, while Boro maintained their recent run with a 2-2 home draw against Cheadle Town.