MOSSLEY AFC 2 – 0 STALYBRIDGE CELTIC
THE CLOCK turned back at Seel Park as Mossley AFC shocked neighbours Stalybridge Celtic – in more ways than one.
‘That was just like the glory days’ was said more than once as the Lilywhites triumphed 2-0 in a Boxing Day derby that will live long in the memory.
When was the last time Seel Park saw a crowd of 1,765 for a league game? The nearest anyone got was the FA Cup tie with Mansfield way back in 1980.
The closest this season was the 531 who saw them slump to 3-0 defeat to Runcorn Linnets and officials were hoping for 1,200, so this blew any expectations out of the water.
When was the last time Seel Park saw a streaker? Thanks to a Stalybridge Celtic fan known as ‘Pinky’, the sight is fresh in many people’s memories.
‘He’s back’ was the call as a man in pink was seen at the School End. No, that was just Mossley goalkeeper Chris Thompson jogging across the pitch trying to keep warm!
And ask Mossley fans who have seen them regularly this season, when was the last time David Fish’s side played so well?
Little wonder the manager was beaming after goals from Andy Keogh and Alfie Belcher as he told the club: “It was about rewarding the fans. They’re absolutely over the moon.
“Someone told me how proud they were of the performance, even without the goals and the win.
“The lads were superb. They covered every blade of grass, they put their bodies on the line and sowed heart, desire, passion, commitment and fight – a lot of the things that had been lacking.
“It was hard not to get too high with a huge crowd, a great atmosphere and a really good game of football.
“What the lads showed was unreal. We said before the game, ‘You owe it to the fans.’ I think we paid them back for their loyalty.”
Mossley belied poor form with captain Keogh’s brilliant goal on his 36th birthday – he is not 64, as the Seel Park PA announcer claimed by playing The Beatles’ track – and Belcher’s simple finish in injury time.
They could have had more, especially Jack Banister in the first half, only to find himself cursing the pitch as the ball bobbled.
Mossley’s ground staff went viral with a pitch inspection involving a shovel on a frozen surface, ask the Lilywhites’ star as he missed and that may have been used a rather different fashion!
Celtic also had chances, hitting the post twice in a goalmouth scramble while on another day, Darius Osei would have scored.
But as the queues for the bar and the tea hut showed no signs of going down, at all, the stage was set for Keogh.
And with 17 minutes left, he picked up the ball on the edge of the penalty area and lobbed Celtic goalkeeper Luke Hewitson.
“I don’t know how pre-meditated that was but we’d talked about that at half-time,” Fish, who admitted nerves kicked in at 7pm on Christmas Day ‘just after the cheeseboard,’ added. “We spoke about the goalkeeper’s starting position, he starts high.
“He’s a really aggressive ‘keeper but as the ball fell to him, you could see what he was looking at and the execution was brilliant.
“That’s what Andy brings, he brings leadership and quality and sometimes has that extra bit of magic. He scores special goals.”
“Have you ever been to Wembley?” enquired the jubilant Mossley fans of their counterparts, including many from the Stalybridge Celtic Supporters’ Association who took part in a sponsored stroll to the game to raise funds for a new fan zone at Bower Fold.
After Ben Darby broke and squared the ball for Belcher to turn home in injury time, many may have been plotting the fastest way home.
There was controversy at the end as Mossley’s Reece Webb-Foster received a second yellow card and was sent off.
However, The Correspondent understands referee Barry Lamb has requested footage so he can see the reaction of Stalybridge defender Jack Tinning, who appeared to writhe around on the floor, wait for the official to act then run off.
Any action would only compound the frustration of Celtic boss James Kinsey, who said: “The first half was arguably the best we’d played all season, on another day we go in 2-0 or 3-0 up.
“However, the goals we conceded are really frustrating and whenever we concede a goal at the minute, it’s just really, really weak.
“But how many chances did we have before that? We have to move on quickly.”
