Work-rate and attitude first class — Band

Non-league football: MOSSLEY joint-boss Peter Band has saluted his young squad now they appear to have shrugged off a worrying run of defeats.

The Lilywhites sat comfortably in the top half of the Evo-Stik Division One North table in November, but an alarming run of 10 defeats in 11 games saw the Seel Park outfit slump almost into the relegation zone.

But three wins from their last four matches have lifted Mossley back up to the relative comfort of 14th place for tomorrow’s home clash against Northwich Victoria. Vics are three points behind Mossley in the standings, but have five games in hand.

Band said: “The workrate and the attitude of the players has been first-class lately.

“We knew we were in trouble, but we’ve drafted in a few new faces and it’s freshened things up a bit.

“Quite a few young lads have been given their chance, and they’ve not let anyone down.

“Matty Wilkinson has done particularly well. He hadn’t been used to playing at this kind of level, but we snapped him up after his release from Manchester United, and he’s filled in superbly for such a young lad.”



CHADDERTON and OLDHAM BORO are both back in North-West Counties League First Division action after a fortnight’s inactivity.

Chadderton, who are going well in seventh place in the table, welcome 11th-placed Widnes Vikings.

Joint-boss Mark Cook said: “The lads are raring to go.

“We’re hoping to end the campaign positively to push even further up the table.”



Boro, meanwhile, face a mammoth task as they host the division’s leaders, Nelson.

Tony Mills’ men have had a tough time since shortly before Christmas. They have lost their last three games on the spin, and also suffered a handful of postponements.