Mossley 3 Trafford 2 (From Messenger Newspapers)

Mossley 3 Trafford 2

12:23pm Sunday 10th March 2013 in Sport

TRAFFORD’S promotion hopes received a severe blow on Saturday when they squandered a two goal lead at Mossley and slipped down to sixth in the Evo Stik League Division One North table.

After a fairly even opening quarter of an hour, Trafford took the lead in the 17th minute when Andy Smart’s wicked in-swinging corner from the right was headed in from close range by Michael Oates.

And Garry Vaughan’s side were in cruise control six minutes later when a superb move down the left ended with Paul Ashton pulling the ball back from the goal-line and Andy Smart cracking a great drive into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.

In the 26th minute a moment of indiscipline was to cost Trafford dearly when combative midfielder Melford Knight recklessly lunged at Chris Denham and was immediately shown a red card.

Despite this, the visitors could have added to their lead seconds before half time when Nia Bayunu spooned the ball over from just four yards following another fine free kick by Smart.

The second half proved to be a disaster for Trafford and within two minutes of the restart Adam Mather had reduced the arrears with a drive into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Mossley were now in the ascendancy and after Nia Bayunu miscontrolled in the 52nd minute, substitute Sam Hind fired wide.

Steve Mason then cleared a goalbound effort with a brave header but in the 61st minute the home side were back on level terms when Chris Denham volleyed home from what appeared to be an offside position as Trafford failed to clear a free kick.

Mossley poured forward in search of the winner and that duly arrived in the 76th minute when a slick move down the right ended with man-of-the-match Denham gleefully driving low into the bottom corner from 15 yards.

Nevertheless the 10 men of Trafford bravely battled for an equaliser and in the dying seconds substitute Kamahl Whight just failed to force the ball home following a corner from the left.

This defeat means that Trafford slip just outside the play-off positions for promotion to the Evo Stik League Premier Division. They have home games on the next two Saturday’s against Bamber Bridge and Clitheroe.