GLOSSOP NORTH END 2 TRAFFORD 1

TRAFFORD’S seven game unbeaten run finally came to an end on Saturday when they were unfortunate to lose 2-1 at high-flying Glossop North End.

Both teams started brightly in perfect playing conditions in front of a healthy crowd of around 400, and the visitors almost forged ahead in the 11th minute when Lee Neville’s cross from the left fell to Chris Palmer who crashed a great drive that Andy Robertson tipped onto the bar.

Jamie Rainford and Jason Carey were both denied by Trafford keeper Russ Saunders as Glossop gained control and the latter put them ahead in the 18th minute when he controlled Chris McDonagh’s weak defensive header and drilled the ball into the bottom corner from 18 yards.

Three minutes later it should have been two when Astley Mulholland’s close-range shot was parried by Saunders and Rainford blasted the rebound over from 10 yards.

Rainford then screwed his shot wide after breaking clear down the right while at the other end Trafford’s appeals for a penalty for handball fell on deaf ears.

Trafford were playing the more controlled, composed and creative football led by an excellent performance by midfielder Palmer, and after McDonagh headed wide in the 49th minute, the scored a deserved equaliser 10 minutes later when Liam Davies burst through and cracked a great volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.

Tom Baker’s side were now in the ascendancy and a superb drive from 25 yards by Kyle Jacobs flew inches wide of the upright.

But in the 80th minute they were dealt a killer blow when Glossop attacked down the left and the ball fell kindly to substitute Mark Reed who volleyed home from six yards.

Trafford pushed forward in search of the equaliser and in the 85th minute they were desperately unlucky when Neville swung a free kick over from the right and Josh Granite glanced a header that struck the far post and rebounded into goalkeeper Robertson’s hands.

Substitute Raul Correia fired in a drive from 25 yards that was held at full length by Robertson but time finally ran out for the boys from Shawe View as they fell to their first league defeat in 2016.

However, they will be hoping to get back to winning ways on Saturday when they entertain another of the promotion hopefuls in the form of Northwich Victoria, kick off 3pm.